


The Light of a Single Candle

by Ohzee41



Series: Lilith [8]
Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Secrets, Kidnapping, Prophecy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2020-03-04 20:29:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 68,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18820141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohzee41/pseuds/Ohzee41
Summary: It has been years since Lucifer returned from Hell, but the life he dreamed of with Chloe is not all he had imagined it would be.  Seeking rest and chance to heal, the devil turns to an old friend, only to find deep secrets between them.  When a demon comes to expose the secrets Lucifer must turn to Chloe, but is it too late?





	1. Broken Pieces

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kelly09](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelly09/gifts).



 

> _Every Story has an end, but in life every ending is just a new beginning_
> 
> _\- From Uptown Girls_
> 
>  

  
Lucifer stood silently near a palm tree watching the scene before him.  It was beautiful and he was afraid of disturbing it.  He could see Lilith standing in the ocean waves with her white cotton cover up tied up around her thighs in an attempt to keep it from getting wet.  Strange to see her so modest.  Lili was usually more of a bikini or skinny dipping type.  Still, she looked beautiful.  Seeing how the waves crashed around her ankles and the way the wind played in her long dark hair stirred the devil’s heart in unexpected ways.  It had been so long since he had seen her, too long really.  It wasn’t until a week ago that he had finally learned that she had escaped Hell.  In fact, she had been free for several years now.  There had been evidence of course but he had dismissed it.  When he found that he no longer needed to check on her sugar plantation he had simply assumed their son, Velius, had taken over.  Once Ella had claimed to have seen her, but he dismissed this too.  Ella was too fanciful, too eager and at times it led to mistakes in judgment.

For a moment the devil found himself smiling.  Until now he hadn’t realized just how much he had missed her or her wise influence.  The last time he had seen her was that awful night in the hospital when she was in a coma.  He hated that memory.  That night he had been forced to make the painful decision to send her back to Hell so she could be whole again.  That seemed such a long time ago, not a mere seven or eight mortal years.  Right now, all he wanted was to do was hide in her arms and cover himself in her long hair.  She always had a way of making him feel wanted even when all the rest of the world seemed cold and distant.   

He had a thousand things to say right now and yet he also was afraid to speak.  He had made far too many mistakes and . . . and, . . . well, there was no reason to think that Lilith would ever allow him back into her life.  If she still harbored hurt feelings over his threat to take her power or his jealousy over Michael then he couldn’t really blame her.  Even the devil’s hindsight is 20/20 and looking back he could finally see just how clouded his judgment had been. 

He had loved Chloe so much back then . . . he still loved Chloe.  She had managed to bring out so many wonderful things in him and make him want to be so much better, so much more.  The trouble was that no matter what he did, no matter how he tried he never seemed to be good enough.  It wasn’t Chloe’s fault though and after a lot of soul searching I realized that it wasn’t his fault either.  They both had needs and expectations but no matter how either of them tried, they just couldn’t quite come together.  He still loved her though and would hold those memories very close and near his heart. 

Right now he just needed to start over, but first he wanted to rest.  Dear God he just felt so tired.  To sleep for a year would be heaven right now.  Looking out at the view before him, Lucifer found himself not wanting to disturb it.  Lilith looked so happy and peaceful and he didn’t want to change it or ruin it as he had so many other things.  It was probably better if he got a hotel room anyway.  The silence would do him good and no doubt the alone time would help him meditate.  By meditate, of course the devil meant a distraction with a few hula dancers thrown in for good measure.  For a moment he started to turn around and leave only to stop as he realized Lili was watching him from where she stood.  Her feet slowly sinking into the sand as the waves crashed against her. 

“It’s been a long time, ‘Old Scratch’,” she called out.

“Yes it has, _Aḻakāṉa_.” he answered as he slowly approached.  “Why didn’t you come back to me after you escaped Hell . . .  why didn’t you at least tell me you were out?”

“I had reasons.”

“I needed you . . .”

“You never needed me.” Lilith cut him off. 

“Yes I did,” he insisted, sadly.

“No,” Lilith shook her head.  “There wasn’t room for me.  You had your little circle of human pets to keep you company and I . . . well I needed to go my own way.” She watched the way he sighed and pinched the bridge his nose in frustration.  He looked like a man who had gone through too many battles and did not have the strength for another, at least not right now.  “So how did you know I was out of Hell, anyway?” She asked, changing the subject.

“Velius.” He explained.  “Velius was at the club about a week ago.  I asked him why he had stayed away so long and why he stopped communicating with me.  He said he was tired of being forced to play the adult because his parents wouldn’t.  He wants to live his own life away from us for a while.  He then informed me that you were here.  It seems our son thinks that you and I have a lot to talk about.” Hearing this Lilith became a touch uncomfortable.  Yes, there were things they need to discuss, but she knew it would only cause a great deal of hurt and anger.

“Well, there is plenty of time for that, ‘Old Scratch’.”  She looked into her old friends face.  His skin was pale, his eyes had dark circles around them and his hair was unkempt.  He was dressed in one of his expensive suits, but the shirt was untucked and there was a dollop of something white and crusty that she really hoped was simply sour cream or Alfredo sauce.  It really wasn’t like the Lucifer at all.  Normally the devil was fastidious in his look and style.  She had seen him take forever choosing a pocket square with just the perfect shade of boysenberry to match his ensemble.  “You look tired.  When was the last time you slept?”

“It’s been about . . . two nights . . . maybe?” He really wasn’t sure.  He had drank so much over the last twenty-four hours that he might as well have had an IV of Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon going straight to his veins. 

“Come on, let’s take you in and get you some rest.”

Lili took his arm and led him inside, his eyes looking around at the demoness’ home.  He had only been here once and that was only after he had been forced to send her back to Hell.  Not a lot had changed, but there were differences.  A change in the artwork perhaps, fresh lilies on the table.  His sharp eyes also noticed a photo in a frame on an end table that Lilith quickly turned over as they passed by it.  He really hadn’t caught much of the image beyond a glimpse of dark hair.  Strange that that his lady friend was so eager to hide it.                

The room she led him to looked as though it had come straight from the pages of a decorating magazine showcasing tropical designs.  The walls were white as were the bed linens highlighting the simple dark bamboo furniture.  The room wasn’t used much and Lilith immediately opened a window and turned on the ceiling fan to move the stagnant air.  Lucifer sat down on bed and slipped the Rolex from his wrist then set it on the night stand while she momentarily left the room.  He took a deep breath of the tropical air and for the first time in a long time he felt like everything was going to be okay. 

Lilith smiled at him as she strolled through the room and into the bathroom carrying a couple of towels and setting them on the counter.  Lucifers dark eyes watched her as she fussed straightening things in the bathroom.  He liked the way loose strands of hair fell into her eyes and the gentle way she swept them back behind her ear.  He smiled watching her rise up on her tiptoes to reach a bottle of soap on the top shelf.  The devil reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and gripped a hard flat piece of stone that had a leather cord wrapped around it.  It was Lilith’s necklace.  The one he had carved for her and placed around her neck so long ago in Hell.         

He wanted to put to return it to its place around her neck, but as she walked towards him, the devil’s courage failed.  He dropped the necklace leaving it in the pocket and instead took his jacket off and laid it on the foot of the bed then proceeded to kick off his shoes.  Lilith walked over and took up his coat then asked if he had brought any bags with him.  He had, of course, but they were still in his rental car.  She laid his jacket across the chair then pulled the curtains closed, darkening the room so he would be able to sleep. 

“Is there anything I can get for you?” she asked, gently pulling back the covers for him.  Lucifer caught her by the waist and pulled her to him.

“Stay,” he replied softly, before resting his forehead against her belly.  Lilith didn’t know what her old friend had been through, but she could see that he was broken.  She kissed the top of his head and assured him she was there.  Feeling his hands begin to slip beneath the cotton cover-up, she instantly tensed up and pulled away.  Lucifer could only stare, stunned.  She had never acted like that before.  “Is everything okay with you, _Aḻakāṉa_?”

“Y-yes, of course.” She assured him, slipping her hand into her pocket.  He started to reach for her again, but her hand came out holding what appeared to be a miniature black pearl.  She crushed it between her fingers and blew the dust into his face.  For a moment he grunted and coughed then his body slumped over and his eyes closed as fell into a deep sleep.  Lilith carefully laid him back on the bed and pulled the blankets over him.  “I’m sorry ‘Old Scratch’.  Things will look better when you’ve caught up on your sleep.”

For now Lilith’s secrets were safe, or at least she thought they were.  There was no way for her to know that she was being spied on from Hell by one of children.  Misran sat across from his father Asmodeus looking down into the still silvery surface of a mystical pool.  The pool was hidden in a dangerous part of Hell known as the Dovev caves.  The dark prince knew the cave was forbidden and was also aware the pool had brought disaster to every demon who has dared to mess with it.  His own visits were rare and this was the first time he had ever brought his son to the place.  Misran’s dark hollow eyes stared at his mother’s image in the pool, uncertain of why he had been brought here.

“Haven’t I told you that she cares nothing for the Lilim . . . her own children?” Asmodeus argued, pointing at the demoness.

“It proves nothing, Father.  You’re as suspicious as Mazikeen.  She believes everyone will abandon and betray her and you are no different.” For a moment the dark prince lashed out shoving his son backward against one of the basalt pillars.  His white eyes burning like fire as he caught him by the neck of his uniform.

“ _You dare to doubt me_?” he growled.  “Look for yourself.”  He released his son and pointed to the pool.  Softly he spoke a name, a secret name known only to a select few.  The only reason Asmodeus knew it was because he had spied on her from the shadows during her last visit.  He always spied on Lilith because he knew the demoness kept many secrets and he was always hopeful of gaining leverage against her.  “See!  There . . . in the reflection!” Misran did look and his saw exactly what his father had been trying to tell him.  “This one will be set above you all!  Make no mistake about it.  Your mother is shrewd and knows what she is doing.  Right now you are in command of the Lilim army.  If Maze had not betrayed the Lightbringer and fallen out of favor with your mother then she would still be the leader.  Your time has finally come, my son, and all of the Lilim look to you.”  He watched the way Misran beamed with pride at this achievement and the dark prince was glad of it.  _His_ first born should be the leader of the Lilim.  “You understand though that when this whelp is ready she’ll usurp your authority . . . unless you prevent it.”

“But I . . .”

“Just bring her to me and I will take care of everything.” Asmodeus rose, a dark smile playing on his lips.  “No reason for you to get your hands dirty.”  The old demon walked away confident his son would obey. 

Suddenly alone, Misran sat there staring at the pool.  He was no fool.  He knew the cost of crossing his mother.  If he went through with his father’ plan and was caught, then he would be most likely handed over to his siblings where mercy is non-existent and there is no limit to pain.  He had witnessed what happened to his twin siblings Aliah and Lamia when they attempted a coup.  They were now locked away and nothing more than slobbering lunatics forever staring into space.  He had also heard what happened to his youngest sibling, Ahriman.  He had attempted to destroy Lucifer and Lilith and ended up with his throat sliced open by their mother. 

Lilith was woman never to be crossed, but Misran couldn’t deny the truth in his father’s words.  Had he not replaced Mazikeen when she had fallen from grace in their mother’s eyes?  He supposed that all of this could be a mistake, but he was afraid to take that chance.  Above all, Misran was ambitious.  He liked the power and title of commander of the Lilim.  He liked knowing that he was subject to no one’s orders except Lilith’s.  The thought of being demoted and another being groomed to take his place didn’t set well at all.   He had worked far too hard to be in the position he was in.  This possible usurper was a thorn in his side and wanted to remove it quickly. 

Perhaps Asmodeus’ plan was better than he initially thought.   The only way for Misran to leave Hell was to possess the body of someone recently dead.  In that form his mother would never recognize him.  Once he kidnapped the competition, he could then wash his hands of everything.  If any actual harm was inflicted then it would be the fault of Asmodeus, not him.  The idea was starting to have merit.  Perhaps he should pay a visit to earth.  He could always back out if things got too sketchy . . . or dangerous.    The place must have some redeeming quality to keep the Lightbringers interest for so long, or his mothers.

Earth really had become home to the devil and demoness, although they never would have thought so in the beginning.  For Lilith it was a fresh start to live as she wanted, any _way_ that she wanted.  Over time she had come to find a great deal of peace in this existence and even came to terms with her human emotions.  Although there were still times when they overwhelmed her and she felt at a loss as to how to handle them.  Her favorite method of doing that was still alcohol, but it had been a while since she had felt that need.

Lucifer, on the other hand, was different.  He had found his home among certain humans, mostly Chloe Decker.  She had taught him how to feel in ways he had never expected and he had thought that he would never to lose that.  The human detective had always had a way of making him want to be better than he was.  In return, the fallen angel had opened Chloe’s eyes too.  He had made her see that the devil was not as evil as the world had made him out to be.  Unfortunately it seemed that in the end loving each other was never enough and despite best intentions they just couldn’t stop hurting each other.

During the entire drive to the precinct, Chloe kept replaying their last conversation.  It was an easy assumption to think that Trixie and her friends had gotten alcohol from Lucifer.  Why wouldn’t she think that?  When she came through the door there were five drunk teenagers and Lucifer holding a freshly opened bottle of Woodford Reserve with an empty bottle at his feet.  She didn’t find out that Trixie’s friend Michael Payne had stolen it from his father’s shelf until last night.  She still cringed when she remembered their last words to each other.

“Do you honestly think I would ever do that?” Lucifer had asked.

“Of course I do, you’re the devil!  Temptation is what you do!” This had slipped out of her mouth without her meaning it, but the damage was done.  Oh God, that look on his face.  She had to fix this, there just had to be a way to fix this.  Unfortunately this was not the first time this had happened.  In fact, Chloe had lost track of just how many times they had argued and similar things had come out of her mouth.  She knew very well that Lucifer would never do anything to hurt her or Trixie and that the man she knew was not the creature portrayed in those books she had read so many years ago.  So why couldn’t she top herself leaping to that conclusion?

Walking to her desk the detective had hoped to see Lucifer as she always did when she arrived for work, but there was just a desk with files on it.  This didn’t worry her too much.  It was Lucifer after all and he would probably show up fashionably late and with a frivolous reason.  At least she hoped he would.  With a sigh she sat down and started to look over the top most file to remind herself of where they were in the investigation.  Out of the corner of her eye she saw a hand reach out and offer her a cup of coffee.

“Lucif . . .” she started to say only to see the ever smiling face of Ella looking back at her.  “Sorry, I mean Ella.  Morning,” Chloe quickly corrected, taking the cup.  “Thanks.”

“Oh my gosh, did you see Ramin Karimloo on the tonight show last night?” Ella gushed in her usual fashion.  “God, the things that man’s voice can do to me, mmmmmmm.”

“No, no I didn’t see it.  I had other things, more pressing things, on my mind,” the detective explained before taking a drink of coffee and turning her attention back to the files at hand.

“Where’s Lucifer, anyway?  Shouldn’t he be here by now?”

“I-I don’t know.  I haven’t seen him since late Friday,” Chloe answered quickly.  Ella looked down at her best friend and noticed for the first time just how tired she looked and the dark rings around her eyes showed that she had been crying already this morning.

“Did you two get into it _again_?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” the detective answered.  “You don’t know what it’s like . . . you just don’t know . . .”

“You’re going to talk to him though right?” Ella waited, but there was no response from her best friend.  “Right?”

“I don’t know.  We’ll see.” The detective turned to the next page of the file.  “Right now I just need to focus on work.”

“Okay . . . fine.  If you need anything let me know.”

Seeing that it might be best not to press any further, the forensic pathologist snuck back to her lab.  She hated seeing those two fight and yet it seemed that it happened more often as time went on.  Needing a pipette so she could get a sample of some liquid taken from a crime scene she started to rummage through her drawers.  As she did her hand ran across an old hospital bracelet.  The name on it was ‘Lilith Eden’ and was dated a number of years back.  Ella remembered taking it after Lili had disappeared from the hospital.  Security was called in and then the case was handed over to Det. Dries.  She had been called in to look for evidence, but there was nothing to be found except this bracelet. 

Since her disappearance, Ella had made it a point not to think about her.  It had been one of many things that had made her question her faith.  How she wished she could talk to her now.  Once, two or three years ago, she thought she had seen her outside a restaurant getting into a car.  When she called out to her the woman had looked up and it was Lilith’s face she had been sure of it.  Instead of greeting her or shouting something back, the woman had hastily got into the vehicle and drove away.  When Ella had told Lucifer about it he dismissed the incident and assured her that Lili was home.     

It really was a pity that Lilith was dead because at times like this Ella couldn’t help thinking that Lucifer needed his old friend.  It was true that the forensic pathologist dreamed of seeing Chloe and Lucifer ride off into the sunset and obtain that magical happily ever after, but she also remembered how he was with Lilith.  The two just seemed to understand each other and they had a long history.  In her fanciful heart they had become Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in _An Affair to Remember_.  Fate had kept the lovers from meeting at Ella’s imagined version of the Empire State Building and with Lili’s injury and certain death, there was no way fate would ever lead them to meet again.  Ella tossed the plastic hospital bracelet back in the drawer and continued her search for a pipette.  Softly she started singing to herself:

_Our love affair is a wondrous thing_

_That we'll rejoice in remembering_

_Our love was born with our first embrace_

_And a page was torn out of time and space_

_Our love affair, may it always be_

_A flame to burn through eternity_

_So take my hand with a fervent prayer_

_That we may live and we may share_

_A love affair to remember_


	2. To Be Accepted

Upon waking up, the first thing Lucifer noticed was that it was dark and for a brief moment he wasn’t sure where he was.  Looking around the room and breathing in the salty air he suddenly remembered that he was at Lilith’s home on the island of Kauai.  The fallen angel sat up and rubbed his eyes and face as he tried to clear his mind and get his bearings.  The powder that the demoness had blown in his face was a powerful sleep drug that would have left any mortal in a permanent coma.  Another gift from Morpheus.  He turned on the lamp next to the bed and picked up his watch so he could see the time.  It was only nine in the evening which was early as far he was concerned, but he also noticed by the date that he had been asleep for two days.  That explained the refreshed yet still groggy feeling he had.

Getting out of bed, he was pleased to see all of his luggage was in the room waiting to be unpacked.  This was advantageous since he had been in the same suit for the last three days and was beginning to have a ripe smell.  Eagerly he jumped into a hot shower where he washed away any remnants of the Sandman’s powder as well as his three-day funk.  It was amazing how much better he felt with the dust of travel and emotional stressed washed away.  Stepping from the bathroom, Lucifer turned his attention to choosing a suit.  This took more effort than one would expect.  Picking out the perfect Burberry suit with just the right shade of black and matching it to the ideal crisp white shirt took time.  That wasn’t even taking into account the portion devoted to choosing just the right pocket square.  It was several tense moments of indecision while he hem-and-hawed between the colors of chiffon and salt.  In the end, he settled on a lovely shade of daisy. 

Famished he left the guest room and headed down the hall towards the kitchen, noting that the picture that Lilith had overturned was now completely gone.  This struck him as odd, but before he could wonder too much, he got distracted by the smell spices and the sound of a knife on a cutting board.  His stomach growled as he approached the kitchen, certain that it couldn’t be Lilith cooking.  There wasn’t a domestic bone in her body.  Stepping into the kitchen, the devil didn’t find the demoness, but an older Hawaiian woman cutting up raw fish.  The woman looked up and greeted the devil warmly then gestured him towards a chair.  Lucifer’s mouth watered as he noticed a plate laid out with fruit, vegetables, sauces and other ingredients that made up a traditional Polynesian dish known as Poke. 

“ _Ke mō'ī wahine_ , thought you would be hungry once you woke up and asked me to fix you something to eat,” she explained as she scooped up the fish and placed it on the plate with the other food.  Lucifer couldn’t quite hide his smirk at the moniker ‘ _ke mō'ī wahine’_.  Leave it to Lilith to give herself the title ‘the queen’. 

“And you are?” he asked, eyeing the older woman curiously.

“Forgive me, Mr. Morningstar, I’m Iekika, Ms. Eden’s housekeeper.” She handed him the plate of food and Lucifer immediately dug in.   

“So just where is ‘ _ke mō'ī wahine_ ’?” the devil asked between bites.

“She took a private plane this morning to Honolulu.  She said she had some errands to run and that she would be back late.  I know she likes to visit a night club called  _Bar Leather Apron_  sometimes.  That’s probably where she is right now.”

“I imagine your boss will be bringing the party back with her,” he commented just before biting down on a large forkful of Poke. 

“No.” the woman answered.  “She is a good employer, but a very private woman.”  Iekika started to scrub the cutting board and knives, then after a moment turned to Lucifer.  “There is something in her eyes that reminds me of someone that feels they must constantly do penance for some sin they believe they committed.” 

“Well if I know your employer, and I do, sinning is one of her specialties.” Lucifer smiled, quite confident in that assertion.  He knew Lilith and there was no doubt in his mind that she was probably off getting a ‘pick-me-up’ from whatever connection she had as well as laying in a store of top shelf alcohol.  Strange she didn’t wait for him to join her.  Seeing that the housekeeper had her back to him, the devil snuck outside to the beach.  Looking up at the stars, he quickly got his direction than with a flutter of wings took off to find Honolulu and  _Bar Leather Apron_. 

As early as the night was in Hawaii, it was past two in the morning in LA and traffic was as light as it ever got in that city.  Traveling down the freeway was a young man headed out of town to visit his family.  Like so many others that had come to Los Angeles, he was struggling to earn a living as an actor and was just managing to get by.  He had landed a couple of roles as an extra in a crowd and even one or two commercials, but he would hardly call himself a success.  Driving along, he casually turned up the volume on his stereo then looked up to see how much further it was to his turn off.  He had made this trip before and really wasn’t terribly concerned.  He was reaching over to take a sip of coffee when his tire suddenly blew out causing him to skid.  In a panic, he turned the wheel and overcorrected causing the car to swerve out of control and start flipping.  When it finally came to a stop, the car landed right side up against the guard rails.  People started calling 911 and others pulled over to try and help the young man.  The first bystander on the scene broke open the driver side window and saw its only occupant sitting there in his seat staring off with vacant empty eyes.  The Good Samaritan felt for a pulse but there was none.  Sadly the bystander turned away while others crept closer and peered through the shattered windows.  One woman suddenly noticed his hand moving and screamed that he was alive.  Soon others began agreeing with her. 

Inside the car Misran looked out at the world through his new human eyes.  He looked down at his hands and then at the faces peering in at him.  Using his demon strength he pushed against the car door breaking it from its hinges then climbed out of the vehicle.  The demon looked up at the night sky than at all the cars and city lights around him.  This was earth?  It didn’t seem all that impressive to him.  Neither did the human body he was borrowing.  Possessing a body was breaking one of the biggest rules laid down by Lord of Hell, but Misran was willing to take the chance.  He just needed to stay under the radar. 

When Dromos had taken possession of Father Kinley, he had gone out of his way to draw attention to himself.  In the end, the price for kidnapping Amenadiel’s son, defying and betraying the Lightbringer had been swift and dear.  As a member of the Lilim he was turned over to their ranks where he remained locked up until Lilith returned for a visit.  The Queen of the Lilim allowed her children a great deal of freedom to do as they pleased, but betraying either her or Lucifer was unpardonable in her eyes.  Knowing what his favorite torture was. Lilith had it turned on him.  She ordered that his tongue be removed as well as his eyes.  At first, he and his siblings had thought he got off lightly until they saw her lock him in the catacombs where he would spend eternity searching for his missing body parts.

Misran was smarter than that and like a chess player, he was choosing each and every move very carefully.  There was no room for mistakes.  While in the Dovev cave and looking into the pool he had seen the place he needed to go, but he had no idea where it was.  Oblivious to the fact that there was blood on his face, clothes and body he started to approach various bystanders and ask where the Carolands Chateau was.  Several people moved out of his way before one guy finally answered.

“Dude, that’s way up near San Francisco.  Instead of worrying about that I think you need to go to a hospital.  You’re covered in blood man,” the guy said.  The demon looked at himself and saw exactly what the man was talking about.  Being from Hell, blood was just another thing, but evidentially humans found it shocking or at least distasteful.  “Do you have a name?”

“A name?” The demon had no idea whose body he was occupying and he didn’t dare give his own name.  Hoping for a clue he patted his pockets with his hands and found a phone and a wallet.  He opened the wallet and looked inside finding two credit cards, a bank card, cash and what he assumed was an identification card.  “Um, Aeron Darnell.”  His hesitation and the fact that he had to look in his wallet to know his name, made the man he was talking to very uneasy.

“Dude I think you have a head injury.  You need to go to a hospital and get some help.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have time for that.”  Misran turned and started running down the highway in front of traffic then off the nearest exit ramp.

The first thing he saw was a junkyard with large gates that were locked with chains and a padlock.  Taking hold of the lock he snapped it and snuck inside.  The demon wandered through the maze of refuse and rusted metal searching for something . . . anything that might be helpful.   He turned a corner around one pile towards the back of the property and finally found the company office.  The building wasn’t much to look at, but it didn’t need to be.  Once again the door was locked, but if the previous one wasn’t a hindrance than this one wouldn’t be either. 

Inside he turned on a light and looked around.  There were desks and the typical office equipment.  There was also a closet with clean pants and shirts that had the company name on it.  He also found a bathroom where he could wash up.   He turned on the light and for the first time, Misran was able to take a good look at the body he had borrowed.  The young man he possessed was actually not bad looking for a human, at least once he washed the blood off.  This Aeron Darnell had a long face that was strong but still quite youthful with a brown goatee and large melancholy green eyes.  This was very different from Misran’s demon appearance with his body of armor and sharp spikes protruding from his head.  Looking at the reflection the demon couldn’t help but smile and applaud himself.  His mum will never see him coming and if she didn’t, well, Lucifer wouldn’t either.

Indeed, LA was almost, but not quite, the furthest thing from Lucifer’s mind.  It was coming in a close second behind the demons of Hell.  At the moment there was only one denizen of the underworld that he was interested in and as he walked through the door of  _Bar Leather Apron_ , he knew he had found her.  The place had the look of a speakeasy with leather seats and dim lighting.  He couldn’t actually see Lilith right away, but he could tell she was there because he felt a sudden pull from deep inside and a strange impulsive need to gravitate towards a cluster of men on one end of the bar.  He could already guess that she was wearing that damned signet ring of hers and luring men to her side, like mindless zombies.  At least as an angel, its effect was limited. 

Looking around he couldn’t imagine why she would need to lure men in the first place.  She was easily the best looking woman in the bar, so a night of unbridled pleasure should be easy for her to get.  The demoness was sitting on a bar stool looking like a queen holding court wearing a lavender lace romper that was just cut low enough in the front to show off her spectacular assets.  One man, in particular, was nuzzling up to her and was eagerly wanting to know what he could do to win her heart.  Lilith only smiled and suggested the Hope diamond.   

“ _Aḻakāṉa_!” Lucifer called out brightly. 

“Damn,” she mumbled, knowing that her game of ensnaring men was suddenly over.  She slipped the ring from her finger and discreetly put it in her purse before motioning to the bartender for a drink.  “I see you woke up,” Lili commented as she sipped her drink.

“Yes, although I think I might want to have a talk with Morpheus about the presents he gives you,” he told her, then ordered himself a glass of the same bourbon. 

“You know, ‘Old Scratch’, you never did tell me why you came to Hawaii?  Last I heard you were quite happy with your little detective.  Maze was happy thinking she had killed her big bad mommy and everyone else thought I was either stuck in Hell or dead.  What changed?”

Lucifer stared hard at the amber liquid in his glass then quickly drank it down.  He hadn’t intended to get into this quite so quickly, but it seemed his lady friend wasn’t going to waste time on unnecessary small talk.  Truth be told he wasn’t even sure where to begin explaining it all to Lili.  There was no love between Chloe and the demoness and he could already guess what his old friend’s advice would be.  She would say that he should have walked away from the detective long ago.  Maybe she was right, then again maybe not.  He set the empty glass on the bar before him and with a sigh decided on a different approach to answering her.

“Is there someplace we can talk privately?” the devil requested.  Lilith nodded and the two of them left the bar and together flew, as owl and angel, to Kaimana beach.  There they took off their shoes and walked in the surf enjoying the sound of the waves and the feel of the ocean breeze. 

“Remember how we used to walk like this in that little tributary off of the Pishon River in Eden?” the demoness reminisced.

“Yes, and as I recall you used to take great delight in trying to splash water on my wings,” he added.  A mischievous twinkle suddenly appeared in Lili’s eye and before he could stop her, she started splashing him with water using her hands and feet.  The devil quickly retaliated, giving as good as he got.  The pair were like two overgrown children playing and laughing as they hadn’t in a very long time.  When the battle finally came to an end, neither had won and both were soaked.  The pair were still laughing and holding each other as they sat down in the sand.  Lucifer removed his wet jacket and laid it over his shoes, then turned to his companion

“Tell me something,  _Aḻakāṉa_ ,” Lucifer said after a moment.  His voice was no longer filled with the swagger that it normally had, but seemed reserved and hesitant. 

“What’s that?” she asked.

“How come you were able to accept me as I was?” he looked over at her and Lili could see a touch of sadness in his eyes.

“I’m not sure what you mean?”

“That day that I found you in hell.  I illuminated the cave forcing you to show me your demon self and at the same time you saw me . . . the other me, bat wings and all.  Why didn’t it bother you?”

“How could possibly judge you?” Lilith answered, finding it strange that he should even have to ask.  “There I was, standing right there before you with a snake’s face and fangs, claws for hands . . . bird legs and feet.  You call yourself a monster, well, you, my friend, were less misshapen than I was.”  She looked up at the fallen angel and the way he was taking in everything she said.    “You’re surprised by this.  It wasn’t as though we were strangers.  How many days and hours had we spent together talking there on the river bank?  Your skin may have changed, but the man inside didn’t.”  At her answer, Lucifer smiled slightly and then kissed her forehead.  “Now, are you going to tell me what happened to make you ask such questions?”

The devil wondered if he was really as transparent as all that, and he was, at least to Lilith.  The pair could always see through each other, at least most of the time.  There was no doubt in her mind that this had something to do with Chloe.  What else could it be?  It seemed to the demoness that every problem Lucifer had led back to Det. Decker.  He either offended her, hurt her, was actively trying to get her attention or going overboard to please her.  At least that was what Lilith had observed.  She liked to think that there was more between them but was never certain of it.  She had observed them together briefly after Chloe had finally seen his devil face and she seemed okay.  Still, the demoness couldn’t imagine Lucifer traveling all this way over a question that could have been answered over the phone.

“You asked me once if the gift of ‘desire’ was a blessing or a curse,” the devil reminded her, turning his gaze to the water.

“And?”

“I think it’s a curse.”

“Really?” Lili responded, a tad surprised.  “What brought you to this conclusion?”

“Because desire is the need for something we can never have.” he answered with a sigh.  “And nothing feels as bad as when it teases you into believing what you desire is within your grasp.”

“What could possibly be out of your grasp, ‘Old Scratch’?  Last I heard you and Chloe were happily in love and you have the friendship and support of your favorite circle of humans,” The demoness pointed out.  This was a group she never truly felt a part of, although they were always kind to her.  Often she had wished that she could have been fortunate enough to find a circle of friends like them.  “Seems to me you have a rather ideal situation.  What else are you wanting?”

“To be accepted . . . fully!” The fallen angel answered, sharply.  “The detective tries,  _I know she tries_ , and most of the time she seems completely fine with the fact that I’m the devil, but then  . . . then the façade cracks.  Even after all these years, she acts like it’s either a liability that must be worked around or it’s the first and most obvious suspect when something has gone wrong.  Oh, she’s apologized a thousand times and assures me over and over that she loves me, but . . .”

“You’re not certain if she actually loves and accepts  _all_  of you or just the Lucifer that is there when things are easy and the picture is perfect,” Lilith summed up.  It was exactly how Lucifer felt and he nodded sadly in agreement.   

“Which is why I came here.  I started trying to think of all the people who had ever truly accepted me exactly as I was and discovered only one name . . . yours.  Amenadiel may be my brother but he has always tried to poke and prod me into being some sort of perfect angel.  Maze always wants the devil except when it affects her.  Ella is all glitter, butterflies and unicorns and Dan . . . well, Det. Douche, can’t reconcile his own light and dark sides so how could he possible grasp mine.  As for Dr. Linda, she comes the closest but there are times I still feel like she’s only grasping at straws.”  He picked up a small white shell that he found in the sand near his foot and looked at it.  After a moment he tossed it unceremoniously back into the ocean.  “As for Eve . . .”

“No, no . . . let not bring that waste of a spare rib into this,” Lili interrupted.  Adam’s second wife was not a woman she had even a drop of respect for and even less patience.  “She’s proof that ribs were meant to be rubbed in seasoning and smothered in barbecue sauce.  They are definitely not meant to be life partners.”

“Be honest with me,  _Aḻakāṉa_ , have you ever gotten along with Eve?” The devil asked, trying to hide his amusement at her commentary on the Bible’s first female.

“Sure.  I remember it very well.  She was turning blue because she forgot she needed to breathe.  I believe that was also the one and only time her boobs ever stopped bouncing.”

“Well, she  _is_  a lively girl.”

“Yes, and I also remember that during that same fateful meeting I warned her never to try and be me.” The demoness stared out at the waves as they rolled in and out. Her eyes narrowed and her normally soft face became hard.  “I made it very clear to her that she was to stay as far from my friends and family as she could or there would be a price to pay.”  Seeing the shadow that fell across her face, Lucifer immediately became concerned.  He hadn’t seen Eve or heard from her since she went to ‘find herself’.

“What did you do, Lilith?”

“Oh, I didn’t do anything.”

“Uh huh . . . but one of your children did,” he corrected quickly.

“Well, Keres has been going through a phase where she loves to watch  _The Princess Bride_  over and over again.  Not the whole movie, just the part where Wesley describes something called ‘to the Pain’.”

“How exactly did Keres get her hands on Eve?” Lucifer pursued, concerned that his old friend might have been laying traps.

“Since darling Eva ditched Heaven, she obviously wasn’t going to be permitted back and she wasn’t smart enough to realize that jumping off an eighty-foot cliff isn’t something that just anyone can do without proper training first.  Pity, the presence didn’t give her two brain cells to rub together.  Imagine what she could have thought up during those moments of bouncing and the two had actually rubbed up against each other.” 

Lilith reached into the inside pocket of Lucifer’s suit and grabbed the flask he always carried then took a drink.  Nothing like the taste of top-shelf bourbon to take the edge off.  She then handed it back to him, but instead of putting it away, he too took a drink.  He couldn’t help feeling a bit sorry for Eve.  She had left the Silver City to be with him, only to discover that the devil had never really loved her.  Now she was eternally trapped in Hell at the mercy of the Lilim brood and there was nothing he could do to change it.  It would have been far kinder if she had simply remained sitting at the gates of Heaven hearing the stories of earth rather than rejoining humanity. 

“I hope she at least found herself.” The devil whispered into the salty night air.  Lilith didn’t respond and instead allowed for a moment of silence.  She couldn’t have cared less about the fate of the bubble-headed mother of humanity, but out of respect for Lucifer, she would refrain from saying anything more about her. 

Staring out at the waves she continued to contemplate the devil’s original question.  Really, she had never thought about it before.  Both of them had looked at each other’s monstrous forms and without thought or question they just instinctively accepted one another.  At the time she had simply reminded herself that regardless of look, this was still Lucifer.  He was her best friend and the father of Velius.  Lilith couldn’t begin to imagine what had made the fallen angel accept her so easily.

“Do you know what I think?” Lili asked, turning back to her old friend.

“What?”

“I think that when it comes down to it, you and I are simply an acquired taste and not meant for those whose palates can’t handle strong, complex . . .” here she smiled playfully at the devil as he turned to her.  “. . . electrifying spirits.”

Gently the Lucifer brushed her hair back from her shoulder and looked down into her emerald eyes.  She was so beautiful.  Lilith was his family, his friend, the mother of his son and closest confidant.  She had managed to make him feel more wanted in a manner of minutes then he had felt in a long time.  He lowered his lips hers and gently pulled her body against his.  Lucifer’s long fingers slid beneath the lace fabric of her romper so they could feel the soft full mound of her breast.  Feeling emboldened by her soft moans and the heat emanating from her, he started to move his hand towards her belly and the pleasures that lay further down.  To his surprise, Lilith suddenly pushed him away.  He was completely baffled.  This wasn’t like her.

“ _Aḻakāṉa_  . . . is something wrong?  Are you okay?”

“O-of course,” She answered, taking his hand in hers and trying to appear normal.  “I just think . . . w-we should go back to my house on Kauai before things get out of hand.” Lucifer seemed relieved at her assurance and the pair took flight towards the airport.

Once back at Lili’s home, the pair returned to their normal amorous selves.  Hungrily, the devil kissed her lips, face, and neck as they made their way through the front door.  The demoness in turn carefully directed his hands, ensuring they stayed where she wanted them to.  She led the devil into her bedroom just as she was managing to unfasten his belt and slide it out of the loops.  Lucifer kicked off his shoes and was about to unfasten her romper when once again she stopped him and playfully wagged her finger. 

“I’ll be right back,” she teased before slipping into her bathroom and closing the door behind her.  She stared into her mirror and softly told herself that she could do this before removing her clothing.  Looking at her reflection, her eyes immediately fell upon a large red scar that ran from one hip bone to the other.  This was something she couldn’t let Lucifer see, not yet anyway.  It would only bring up a lot of things that she didn’t need to be brought up right now.  Later, she would explain everything to him later.  Later was a better time.  He had enough emotions running through him right now and the last thing he needed was for her to make things worse. 

 She opened one of the drawers and took out a leather kit and unrolled it.  Inside were a number of small clay vials that contained powerful liquids and powders that Lilith had collected or been given over the centuries.  It was where she stored the sleeping pearls that Morpheus had given her, as well as a host of other things.  What she drew from this kit all depended on her goals and right now her goal was to make that scar go away. 

Taking out one of the vials, she carefully filled a cup with water then popped the cork on the vial and poured a tiny amount of a gold powdered substance into it.  She resealed the container then slipped it back into the leather kit, tying it shut.  Lilith then lifted the glass and drank down the concoction.  It was bitter and for a moment she couldn’t help but gag.   She then turned her attention to her reflection and watched as the scar began to fade and appear as her normal flat belly.  Lili smiled, but she knew glamour was far from foolproof.  Like Cinderella at the ball, it would only last a few short hours.  She would have to be very careful.

Stepping from the bathroom, Lilith was immediately greeted by the devil wearing nothing except four flower lei’s all carefully dangling from his considerable arousal.  His mischievous grin was beaming ear to ear and he asked her if she was ready to get ‘laid’.  Lili couldn’t help but smile back in amusement at the question.  She then asked if there was significance in the number of lei’s he was wearing or if he was just practicing his maypole impression.  He just laughed explained that you receive a ring of flowers every time you entered the state so it only stood to reason that Lilith would need to ‘welcome’ him at least four separate times to get each ring of flowers.  For a moment the demoness furrowed her brown and glanced momentarily at her belly.

“How about we see where the night leads us instead,” she answered, getting up on her tiptoes and bringing his lips down to hers.  It had been a long time since they had coupled together and she had truly missed Lucifer’s touch.  In a moment of playfulness, she pulled the flowers from where they hung then pushed the Lord of Hell onto her bed.  “If you want these lei’s back, you’re going to have to earn them.”

With a wicked sparkle in his eye he caught hold of the demoness and forcefully pulled her down on to the bed.  He then brought his delicious weight down on top of her, his mouth covering hers.  His kisses were hot and paralyzing, but she was far from ready to give in to him.  Her fingers softly traced the line of his back until she reached his shoulder then dug her nails into his flesh, forcing a cry of pain from him.  When he reared back, Lilith seized the opportunity and flipped the devil onto his back.

“Ahhh, so that’s how you want to play?” He laughed, impishly.  “Let the games begin.”


	3. Of Prophecies and Plots

Chloe stepped off the elevator into Lucifers penthouse and looked around.  Everything was covered with white sheets and the sight made her heart sink.   _He couldn’t be leaving for good_ , she told herself,  _and_   _besides_ ,  _Lucifer always comes back_.  He even came back from Hell, so surely he would be coming back to Los Angeles.  She knew her partner and he was probably just taking some time to blow off steam.  No doubt he would be back in a few days and then he’ll waltz right back into the precinct with a loud ‘Detective’ and act as though nothing happened.  She was almost annoyed just thinking about it. 

After shaking her head of those thoughts, she started wandering around the penthouse trying to pretend she wasn’t missing him.  She also didn’t want to think about why he had left.  This would be so much easier if he would just call her or come back so they could talk things out.   She had started to call him once but stopped because she didn’t know what to say.  They had gone through this same fight a thousand times before and a thousand times she had apologized and assured him that she fully accepted who he was.  God, she felt so stupid.  She loved Lucifer so much, but he  _was,_ in fact _,_  the devil.  How could she ever just ignore it or forget it?  Nobody could, and he needed to understand that. 

Stepping into his walk-in closet, Chloe was relieved to see that at least sixty percent of his considerable wardrobe was still there.  He wouldn’t leave this much behind if he had no intention of coming back.  She reached out and gently touched the soft fabric of one of his shirts, wishing that it was him instead of an empty garment.  Bringing the sleeve to her face, she gently brushed it against her cheek, then her nose, breathing in the scent of the man.   She really needed to call him. 

Chloe left the closet determined to call the fallen angel.  Taking out her phone, the detective went back in the living room, her swift fingers quickly bringing up his number from her contacts.  She was about to hit the call button when she noticed something she hadn’t before.  In his library, next to his bookshelf there was an easel with the sheet partially off.  It looked as though it had been covered in haste, probably right before he left.    

Curious, Chloe went over and pulled the sheet off to see what lay beneath it.  What she found was a portrait painted in oils and dated eighteen-seventy-nine that showed the face of a woman.    Despite the age of the painting, the detective recognized the delicate features, emerald eyes, and dark hair that blended into the background.  She suddenly knew where Lucifer had gone, or rather, who he was with.  That realization hurt more than his absence.  Chloe wasn’t about to lose him to  _her_.  If necessary she would find out where the demoness was and bring him back herself. 

As badly as Chloe wanted to find the demoness and insert herself between the two old friends, someone else was trying equally as hard to go unnoticed and undermine Lilith.  Misran had spent all night walking the streets of LA unsure of where he was going.  He had managed to clean up and change into one of the clean uniforms that he found in the Junkyard office.  He knew what he needed to do, but he was becoming less sure of just how to do it.   

Lost, Misran passed an ice cream shop just in time to see Mazikeen as she was leaving the store, licking away at her two scoops of red velvet cake ice cream.  For a moment, he could only stare.  It had been a long time since he had seen his sister, so long in fact that he was afraid to speak for a moment.  He was also afraid that she would tell the Lightbringer that he possessed a body.  You could never be certain of Maze’s loyalty.  One moment she’d vow allegiance and the next she’d try to kill you.  On the other hand, she utterly hated their mum and might actually know her way around this damn city.  Possibly even know how to get to Carolands Chateau.   

Just as she was about to turn the corner, Misran yelled out her name and she stopped.  Slowly Maze turned around and looked at him.  Most people would have been intimidated by the look in her eyes and rightly so.  She was far from friendly and wasn’t known for her trust.  Thankfully, Misran knew all of her fighting styles and was superior to her in skill.  As demons, they could both be injured and killed with anything, so they were both on an equal playing field.  She walked up to him and studied every detail of his face and body, even his smell, as she tried to figure out who he was. 

“Who are you and what do you want?” she asked briskly, taking a bite of her ice cream.

“While I didn’t expect a warm welcome, I  _am_ pleased that you haven’t pulled your knives yet,” he remarked casually.  This piece of knowledge made her instantly suspicious and her eyes narrowed.  Coolly she moved her free hand so that it rested it on the handle of her dagger.  She had no idea who this man was and Mazikeen was not about trust. 

“You really don’t know who I am, do you?” Misran smirked, then in an attempt to rile her, he took a bite of her ice cream.  It worked and pissed at his audacity, the demoness swung her dagger at him, only to have her arm caught by Misran.  “Mazie, Mazie, fat and lazy.  Mama left because you drove her crazy,” he said with a grin.  She hadn’t heard that taunt in ages, literally ages.  She had been a child at the time and there was only one person brazen enough to say that to her face. 

“Misran?”

“In the borrowed flesh,” he answered.  Maze looked him over again, then looked around nervously.

“Possession is strictly forbidden.  Do you know what will happen if you’re caught?”

“I’m not going to get caught, unless my little sister still has a talent for tattling,” he pointed out.  “Oh and don’t worry, no one else has escaped, just me.”

“Even so, that’s still a lot to risk, so I have to know why you would take such a gamble and what the reward is if you’re successful.” Mazikeen lowered her dagger, curious to hear the explanation. 

“Mum,” he growled.  “I want to humble our proud mother.  I want to make her see that she can’t just use us and throw us aside to suit her whims.  We are her children and yet she treats us like we are less than nothing.”

“I’ve been saying that for ages, not that anyone listened.  Why do you care all of a sudden?  The last time I saw you, you were one of her loyal children.” Maze folded her arms and looked at her brother skeptically.

“It,” here he hesitated, careful not to tell too much.  “It seems mother is grooming someone new to command the Lilim.”

“No, she’s not,” Maze corrected, before licking her frozen treat.  “Because our mother is dead.  I killed her.”

“No,” Misran corrected.  “You killed Naamah.  She came here wearing demon glamour so she would look like our mother, but it wasn’t her.”

Maze was suddenly at a loss and couldn’t speak.  She wasn’t sure how she felt about this.  There was a small amount of relief knowing she had not killed her mother, but she also felt this terrible disappointment and anger too.  Maze and Lilith had never seen eye to eye.  She resented the Queen of the Lilim’ power and her closeness with Lucifer.  She blamed her mother for not stopping her from killing the angel Ibriel.  That act had caused her to flee along with her baby brother, Ibriel’s son, Briadach, making them fugitives.  All she ever wanted was for Lilith to love her and be proud of her, but she never was.  Instead, The Queen of the Lilim had seen to it that Mazikeen never rose any higher than Lucifer’s protector and Commander of the Lilim army . . . at least for a while.

“So Lilith is still alive.” Maze said in a low growl.

“Yes, and up to her old tricks, but together you and I can put an end to it.”

“What do you need me to do?” Maze asked suddenly interested. 

As the siblings discussed their plans, Chloe was walking through the doors of The Philosophical Research Society.  The detective hadn’t entered this library since the shoot-out with Jimmy Barnes sister, Anne.  After seeing Lucifer’s face she had started to come here but changed her mind.  At the time she had decided that a complete change of scenery far removed from her partner was a wiser decision.  Somehow the distance would help clear her head.  Now she rather regretted it.  It had only made her struggle to come to terms with who Lucifer was, worse. 

She was at the library now though and this time her goals were different.  If there was one man who would know where Lilith was, besides the devil, then it would be Warren Taylor.  She never quite understood the connection, but the demoness had gone to see him the day of the shoot-out and with his mysterious disappearance that day, she got the impression he knew a lot more than any of them could guess.  Right now she wanted a few answers. 

“Det. Decker,” a familiar jovial voice called out.  Chloe turned to see Warren standing on a ladder putting away a stack of books.  His hair was greyer with touches of white and he had put on a couple of pounds but he still had that impish knowing smile and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.  “It’s so good to see you again.  How many years has it been now?”

“Um . . . several, I guess,” she answered, fidgeting with her hands nervously. 

“I’m surprised you haven’t come to me sooner,”

“Look, the only reason I’m here is that I need to talk to Lucifer and he’s not in LA.  I have reason to believe that he went to find Lilith and . . . well, you’re the only one I can think of who might know where that is.”

“Your detective instincts were correct,” he answered, putting a couple of books back on the shelf.  “The devil has gone to find his love.”

“No, no,  _I’m_  his first love.  He said so,” Chloe argued.  She could remember vividly the way he had touched her face and his words ‘ _it was you, Chloe, it was always you’_.  That moment on Lucifer’s balcony had been the sweetest and the most bitter of her life.  She had finally accepted who he was and admitted that she loved him.  They should have been able to be together, but instead, they had been forced apart.  Lucifer had to return to Hell so he could restore order and prevent other demons from sneaking out and possessing humans.  At the time Chloe had thought she would never see him again, but she was wrong.  Just as wrong as this man’s claims that Lucifer could be in love with anyone else.  The very thought made Chloe want to reach out and slap the smug smile from the old scholars face.  “The prophecy may have turned out to be meaningless, but it doesn’t change the words he said to me . . . and he never lies.”

“Then why are you upset?” Warren asked, not even glancing at her as he slid another couple of books on the shelf.  “If you are confident in his love then you have no reason to doubt that he’ll return to your side.  He might even have his arms loaded with flowers while on his knees begging for your forgiveness.  When you finally deign to accept his apologies no doubt he’ll cover you in kisses, just like in the romance novels.”  He turned and looked over the top of his glasses at Chloe.  “You don’t have that much confidence do you?”  He waited a few moments, but the detective didn’t answer.  She continued to fidget with her hands and tilt her head in an attempt to appear as though it wasn’t bothering her.  Warren continued to put the last of the books away while Chloe glanced down at some antiques that were on display.  Finally, when he was getting down off the ladder, Chloe spoke up.

“Lucifer has had millions of lovers and maybe it should bother me, but it doesn’t because he doesn’t look at them like he looks at me.  He doesn’t talk to them or treat them the same way he does me.  With us, there’s something more, something deeper.  All of that changes whenever Lilith’s around.  They speak their own language, finish each other’s sentences.  They have this bond . . . this closeness that I just can’t compete with.” Overwhelmed with her frustration and anger, tears started to well up in her eyes, but Chloe quickly blinked them back and gave a momentary sad laugh “They even have a son together!”

Hearing her voice raise slightly and not wanting to disturb any of the people in the library, he politely suggested they take this to his office.  Once inside he offered her a chair then went to his file cabinet and carefully unlocked it with one of two keys that hung around his neck.  All the blue folders with their labels bearing celestial and demon names were still there and intact, just as they had been when he took them from Marcus Pierce’s belongings.  Pushing them aside he pulled a briefcase out and set it on his desk.  Using the other key he unlocked the attaché case.  From it he took out a clay cuneiform tablet and set it in front of her, then beside it he set the remains of an ancient parchment scroll encased in glass.  The detective knew nothing about such artifacts or ancient writing, but she had seen various relics of antiquity, thanks to Lucifer’s collection.

“I’ve seen this kind of writing before, but I can’t read it.” Chloe explained.

“It speaks of a prophecy . . .” He started to say, but at the word ‘prophecy’, Chloe leaped from her seat more annoyed then she had been before. 

“I’ve already been down this road with Father Kinley.  Lucifer is not evil.  He’s nothing like those descriptions and pictures in books.  He’s a good man and I am  _not_  going to help you send him back to Hell.”

“Who said anything about sending him back to Hell?  I certainly haven’t, nor do I want you too.” His normal ‘cat that ate the canary’ grin was gone and his eyes were dead serious as they looked over the top of his glasses at the detective.  “Now would you mind having a seat please?” Suddenly feeling like a scolded child, Chloe sat back down.  “I am aware of the interpretation Father Kinley gave you, detective and it wasn’t exactly accurate.  I conversed with the priest numerous times online long before I ever knew his name.  If I had known that he had relocated to the Vatican then I never would have written a letter of recommendation so you could gain entrance and do research.”

“Y-you did that?” Chloe was stunned.  “Y-you have connections at the Vatican?” When she submitted her credentials, passport, and other paperwork she really didn’t think she would get in, especially on such short notice.  Normally it could take months.  She had been completely surprised to find out that they had received a letter of recommendation and were granting her access. 

“Working for Marcus Pierce afforded me many connections.  Some are high ranking individuals and some . . .  well, some are less than reputable.”

“Y-you worked for him?” That name alone gave Chloe anxiety.  If there was ever moment in her life she wanted desperately to erase it was everything from the second Marcus Pierce walked into the precinct until the day he was killed.  God, how stupid she had been during that time.  The things she over-looked and the way she behaved still embarrassed her after all these years.  She preferred to think it was a bad case of brain weevils rather than her own foolishness, but inside she couldn’t deny the truth.  “And you knew he was  . . .”

“Cain?  Of course.” At this answer, Chloe dropped her head in her hands in frustration.  Why did this have to be so complicated?  All she wanted was an address or a phone number.

“What does  _any_  of this have to do with Lilith Eden?” Chloe sighed in frustration, as she attempted to bring it all back to the reason she was here. 

“ _This_  is why she is important.” Warren pointed to the Hebrew text written on the scroll.  “This document was one of many found in one of the Qumran caves on the northern shores of the Dead Sea.  Most of it was damaged from age and time, but this portion remained intact.  I know you are familiar with this passage ‘ _When the Satan walks the earth and finds his first love, evil shall be released_ ’.”

“No, no Father Kinley used the word ‘devil’, I remember.  He said ‘ _when the devil walks the earth_ ’.  He must have quoted it to me a hundred times.”

“No doubt Father Kinley was an intelligent man, but the Jewish faith has no devil, instead, they believe in an angel called ‘the accuser’ or ‘the Satan’.  Make no mistake, they all still refer to the same man, Lucifer, but as is often the custom, different religions have different viewpoints.  Take for instance this clay tablet.  It predates the scroll and has almost exactly the same prophecy, but it’s worded differently.  ‘ _When Enki lives among the people and his heart awakens, then shall come the great change_.’  Do you see the difference?  There is a version of this in almost every culture.”

“Father Kinley said that evil was going to be released and he was right, demons took possession of bodies and tried to leave Hell.”

“No.” Warren answered shaking his head then taking off his glasses and setting them on the desk.  “I’m afraid Father Kinley was a zealot, whose judgment was clouded by an encounter in his youth.”

“You don’t know that,” Chloe argued.

“Yes, I do,” he returned.  “I managed to meet Father Kinley while he was incarcerated and we had a rather long and interesting conversation.  It seems that your friend Lucifer Morningstar has been his life’s work.  I asked him how he came to be so interested in researching the devil and he told me about an incident when he was seven years old in Glasgow Scotland.  He had been sent to get some milk from the local grocery store and on the way, he passed by one of the local pubs.  He saw a man get thrown bodily through a window into the alley.  He then saw a very distinguished looking gentleman step out and lift the man completely off his feet.  It seems the first man was drunk and when a barmaid accidentally spilled some of his ale the man’s temper flared and he attacked the girl.  The wealthy man intervened and sent the drunk flying.  Watching the scene Kinley thought that the gentleman was just exceptionally strong until he saw his face change to a ghastly red visage that looked all burned and had glowing red eyes.  That was when he knew the wealthy stranger was the devil himself.”

Chloe sat back in her chair, silent.  Seeing Lucifer’s devil face and messed her up for a month and she was a full grown woman.  What would the sight of that image do to a child?  No wonder, the priest had been so convinced that Lucifer was evil.  That image must have seared itself into his impressionable mind and haunted him all his life.  It must have been the reason he had become so obsessed and joined the priesthood.    All of this information was overwhelming and she wished she could have known this sooner and yet she still didn’t understand what the prophecy meant.

“Okay, but if Lucifer is not evil, then there is nothing to be released,” she pointed out.

“Lucifer is not evil in the sense that you are thinking.  It’s the evil he carries in himself . . . that we all carry in ourselves.  It’s the anger he carries for his Father, his rebelliousness, or his inability to look beyond himself.  It’s also his deep self-hatred, among many other things.” The old man’s fingers tenderly touched the clay tablet before him.  “I can only assume that such inner turmoil manifests itself differently in celestials.”

“So, Lucifer never needed to be sent back to Hell and . . . and demons trying to escape have nothing to do with the prophecy.  What does it all mean?” she mumbled to herself, certain she could feel a headache coming on.

“The devil has found himself unexpectedly changing for a long time, as well as growing both emotionally and as a person.” He watched the detective’s reaction, but it was hard to say if she understood or not.  “He is not the only one either.  Lilith has been on a journey of her own, a very difficult one.” The old man thought of things he had witnessed since being acquainted with the demoness and at least one moment, in particular, gave him pause.  It was a moment of great joy for Lili and great personal torment.  Looking back at Det. Decker, he once more flashed his knowing smile.  “But I suppose you can’t win against the inevitable.” 

“But I stood there in his penthouse and watched him forgive himself.  With my own eyes, I saw him change from his devil form to his angel form.  You can’t make me believe that it didn’t happen.”

“I’m sure you did,” Warren agreed, much to the detective’s surprise.  “But what you witnessed was only the tip of the iceberg.  Countless ages of inner turmoil can’t be healed in an instant.   Chloe suddenly shook her head vehemently.    

“No, he didn’t start changing until he met  _me_.  Lilith was  _never_  his first love,  _I_   _am_.  The devil never lies.”

“Neither Lucifer, nor Lilith ever lie . . . except to themselves,” Warren answered. Chloe stared at him, dumbfounded.  She had always assumed that since her partner never lied, that it applied to everything.  It never occurred to her that he would convince himself of an untruth as a coping mechanism, whether consciously or unconsciously.   

“What?”

“I have no doubt that he loves you, detective, but I don’t believe you are the great love referred to in all of these ancient writings.  I think you are the catalyst meant to spark the domino effect.” He could see her jaw setting and the way she pursed her lips in annoyance.  “Please understand, detective, there are no emotions in Hell so neither were capable of feeling anything for anyone except themselves.  Both of them are fiercely independent and while they see each other as family, they have never allowed themselves to see what lies in front of their faces.  You may have awakened his heart to emotions and change, but when everything is said and done, I’m betting that the bond those two share will transcend everything.”

Chloe couldn’t stand to hear anymore and rose from her seat.  She hadn’t come here for prophecies or the personal history of Father Kinley and she damn well didn’t come to hear this man give his opinion on who the devil’s first love was.  The only thing the detective wanted was information on where Lilith lived so she could find Lucifer and talk to him.  She believed her partner's word, not this man’s.  Once she found the fallen angel then they would talk and everything would be fine.     

“Mr. Taylor, this has all been very interesting but I’m not here to listen to your theories and conjectures.    I just need to know how I can find Lilith Eden.  If you can help me with that, then great, otherwise I need to be going.”

Warren took out a piece of paper and began writing on it.  His dark mischievous eyes glancing at her from time to time.  Finally, he folded it and handed her the slip of paper.  Seeing the impish smile on his face only served to aggravate the detective and she snatched the paper from his hand and left his office.  She had made it as far as the front door before opening it and seeing the address and its location in Kauai.  Chloe sighed in frustration.  Going there would mean taking a vacation and she hated doing that.  She was a natural born workaholic and had no idea what to do with herself when she wasn’t there.  It also meant having to go to the lieutenant and asking for the time off.  The one that had taken Pierce’s place never seemed to care much for her.  Still, if it would bring back Lucifer, then there was nothing she wasn’t willing to do, even cross an ocean.


	4. A Pawn on a Chessboard

Lucifer woke up to find that Lilith was missing from their bed and it seemed rather strange to him.  He had been on Kauai now for four days and shared a room with her for the last two nights.  This was the first time he could think of when they slept together and she wasn’t there when he woke up.  Normally they enjoyed laying there naked among the sheets, bare skin against bare skin, with the smell of sex still lingering in the air.  It had always been Lilith’s favorite time and the devil had to admit there was always a certain peace and contentment he felt as he lay there with her head on his chest.  He didn’t know what could have brought on this change in his old friend, but he couldn’t deny that something was going on with her.   

The devil had also noticed there was a slight change in the way she dressed.  The Lilith he knew would have been happy to flaunt her mid-drift and wear halter tops and hip hugger pants, now her waist was always covered.  Whenever he would try to put his hands beneath any of her clothing near her stomach, she would instantly shy away from his touch.  There was also the strange phone call he had over-heard the day before.  He had stepped out onto her porch and heard her speaking to someone about the arrival of an art teacher and then he heard her say ‘ _yes, darling, mummy loves you too’_ followed by a promise to come and visit in the next week.  When he casually asked about it, she was evasive and wouldn’t tell him anything.  Perhaps he shouldn’t care, after all, her private life was hers, but when Lilith kept secrets, nothing good ever happened. 

The devil’s instincts were right too.  Just the morning before, Maze and Misran had broken into Lucifer’s safe and taken the bottle with the remaining sleeping potion Father Kinley had given Chloe as well as an outfit for Misran to wear.  The two then traveled the six and a half hours further upstate where they manage to locate Carolands Chateau.  Maze had driven her motorcycle while Misran drove a rental car.  Now the two were standing there on the brick circular drive staring up at the four-and-a-half story mansion with its mix of American Renaissance and Beaux-art design.  All around the exterior of the mansion was its well-manicured gardens, a rectangular reflecting pool, trimmed hedges and tall metal gates at every entrance to the property.  They had scoped out everything about the place the day before looking for weak entry points and what kind of security was there.  In truth, there had been no weak entry spots, but they were able to figure out that security was made up of two of their Lilim siblings, Yasha and Akuma.  Both were powerful warriors and deeply loyal to their mother.  Fortunately, Maze had always been fairly well liked by them and was confident she could gain their trust.

Climbing the gate, the two locked eyes with each other in a silent reminder to not forget what they were doing.  Maze went to the door and rang the bell then waited.  Nobody answered and she rang again.  Still, no one answered and Maze began to get nervous.  It was possible that her two siblings were on strict orders not to answer the door for anybody.  Worse, they might have seen it was her out here and were notifying their mother right now.  Not willing to risk any further, the demoness turned and began to walk away.  Before she had gotten two feet from the door it came open and she turned and saw Akuma leaning against the doorway.  The demoness looked down at her bounty hunting sister and sneered.

“Well, if it isn’t Mazikeen.” She ran her fingers through her short cropped jet black hair with its purple highlights then turned her attention to what she assumed was a human.  “Who’s your friend?”

“Don’t worry about him, he works for me.  I just got done bringing in a bounty and heard you were hiding around here and decided to stop by and catch up.”

“You ‘heard’ I was here?” Akuma was skeptical, to say the least. 

“Yeah, from our mother,” Maze answered.  She could see her sister wasn’t buying it and she was going to have to up the ante.  “Okay, so maybe Lilith and I don’t have the best relationship, but I do check in with her from time to time.  She happened to mention that you and Yasha were around and I thought it might be nice to see some familiar faces from back home.”  Seeing the suspicious look in her sisters face, Maze glared and snarled a quick “Sorry if I bothered you.” 

Maze and Misran started across the courtyard towards the still locked gates, certain their plan had failed.  When they reached the half-way point they were both surprised to hear Akuma call out for Mazikeen to stop.  The two turned back around to see the demoness smiling and waving them back over.  Hesitantly the two walked back over to their sister, curious to know what she wanted.  The younger demon just smiled at her big sister then invited her in for a drink.  Maze put on her best smile, a look which never suited her, and followed her into the chateau with Misran close behind. 

Once inside the main hall, he ducked behind a pillar and watched as Mazikeen was hugged warmly by Akuma and then greeted by Yasha.  Maze looked at her little brother with his red eyes, albino skin and white hair that was buzzed on the sides and long enough in the front that he periodically had to sweep it from his eyes.  He hadn’t changed a bit.  Always ready to tease one of her siblings, Maze pointed out that he really needed to get more sun.  Yasha laughed as he walked towards her, his steps stiff and wooden.  Pulling her into his rigid embrace, he told her that he was surprised to see her still indentured to the Lightbringer.  At this insinuation, she frowned but quickly played it off as nothing.  None of them noticed Misran as they walked into the sitting room leaving him alone.

Softly as he could, he started to search all the rooms on the lower floor but found nothing except expensive art and furnishings.  The kitchen and dining room was equally empty, but seeing an unopened box of Famous Amos cookies on the counter, he suddenly felt his stomach rumble.  He still wasn’t used to his human body or all the maintenance they required.  Cautiously he glanced over his shoulder then snatched up the box and quickly tore into it.  The small crunchy disks of sweetness and chocolate tasted wonderful and he shoved as many as he could into his mouth before slipping the box into his coat and continuing his search. 

The next room he entered was a large office with walls lined floor to ceiling with books and an elegantly carved antique desk.  He glanced at some of the titles and was impressed.  There were books on modern and ancient law, biblical texts, anatomy, and medicine, as well as various classic works ranging from Shakespeare to Neil Gaiman.  There was something for every possible topic. For a brief moment he wished he could stay a read a couple of them, but there wasn’t time for that.  Instead, Misran went over to the oak desk and rummaged through the drawers hoping for anything that would be incriminating to his mother, but there was nothing.   _She obviously does her business elsewhere_ , he thought to himself.

Not finding his query on the ground floor, he cautiously went up the grand staircase to the second level and began looking there.  All he found was one bedroom after another that was all fit for royalty.  He rolled his eyes thinking how his mother, the Queen of the Lilim must picture herself as a great and powerful monarch.   _She is a demon like the rest of them_ , he thought to himself,  _eternally banished to Hell.  Not some fine, great lady._   He passed sitting rooms, parlors and bathrooms, but he was still no closer to finding what he was after. 

Noticing a side staircase he that led to the third floor, he went up and began to look around.  Given the ceiling height and the size of the rooms he had no doubt that this had once been the servant’s quarters.  He barely took two steps and he heard a child’s voice singing.  He slowly moved forward following the sound, a smile creeping onto his face.  He had found her!  His hand rested on the heavy oak door and slowly he pushed it open.  In the middle of what appeared to be a playroom sat a child he guessed to be maybe seven or eight.  Her long brown waves fell over her shoulders as she drew whatever her heart desired in a sketchbook.  All the while she continued to sing:

_I need a place where I can go,_

_Where I can whisper what I know,_

_Where I can whisper who I like_

_And where I go to see them._

_I need a place where I can hide,_

_Where no one sees my life inside,_

_Where I can make my plans, and write them down_

_So I can read them._

_A place where I can bid my heart be still_

_And it will mind me._

_A place where I can go when I am lost,_

_And there I'll find me._

_I need a place to spend the day,_

_Where no one says to go or stay,_

_Where I can take my pen and draw_

_The girl I mean to be._

Taking a step forward, Misran’s shadow fell across the girl causing her to jump and give a slight cry.  Her dark glittering eyes looked him over, curious as to who the stranger was.  The suit he was wearing looked expensive, but its fit was too loose, so it had to have been borrowed.  Although he watched her intently, there wasn’t any malice in his eyes.  She set her artwork down and standing up, she went over and stood in front of him.  The demon looked down at the child, surprised at how small she was. 

“Are you the art teacher mummy promised me?” she asked.

“Art teacher?” he echoed, “No, no, I’m your brother . . . you’re  _half_ -brother.” At this, the girl’s sparkling dark eyes danced and her infectious smile filled her whole face.  “Didn’t you know that you have many brothers and sisters?”

“Oh yes, mummy told me that I have thousands, but I’ve never met any, except Velius.  He visits me from time to time and brings me sweets and presents.  The only other two I know are my guardians Yasha and Akuma, but they don’t really talk with me or play with me.  What’s your name?” Her knees were bouncing from the excitement of meeting a new sibling.

“I’m called Misran, son of Lilith and Asmodeus.  I believe you are called Inara, are you not?”

“Yes!” she giggled.  “Inara Sarai Eden.  I don’t know who my father is though.  Mama never told me.”

“Well, if I know our mother, then the answer could be . . . anyone.”  This didn’t seem to be a satisfactory answer to Inara, but Misran didn’t care.  He needed to get moving quickly.  He glanced at his watch then smiled at the child.  “How would you like to meet your other brothers and sisters?”

“Can I?” she asked, excited at the prospect.

“Of course.  We’ll have to sneak out though because Yasha and Akuma are under strict orders to keep you here.  Are you sure you’re brave enough to embark on such an adventure as this?” He playfully asked.  Having so many younger siblings, he had learned how to talk to children and win their trust.

“Of course I am.”

“Okay, then without making a sound, follow me.”

Misran took her small hand in his and led her from the room and down the stairs to the second story and then finally the ground floor.  As carefully as they could they snuck into the dining room where he opened the window and carefully lifted her out before climbing through himself.  Taking her hand again he quickly led her across the yard to the gate where he helped her climb over then quickly scaled it himself.  Giggling excitedly, Inara climbed into the backseat of the car and buckled up as Misran got behind the wheel.  He then reached into the glove compartment and took out the GPS system Maze had given him and typed in the address of their agreed upon meeting place.  Everything was working perfectly.  Now they just needed to get through the long drive ahead of them.    

Maze was laughing and telling stories while enjoying her 5th glass of top-shelf bourbon along with her brother and siblings when Akuma finally asked where her human pet was.  Maze only shrugged and commented that he probably left.  Both Yasha and Akuma looked at each other than whispered softly between themselves.  The demon left the room, leaving his two sisters alone to continue talking.  He wandered up the stairs and began to look through all the rooms while calling out Inara’s name.  There was no answer.  He went up to the third story and did the same, but again there was no answer.  Fear went through him, not just for Inara’s safety but his own, at the thought of Lilith’s reaction. 

Swiftly he went down the stairs and back into the sitting room where Mazikeen and Akuma were just opening a new bottle of alcohol.  He grabbed his sister by the arm and pulled her aside then softly told her the situation.  Akuma’s natural violet skin hue suddenly turned as pale as her brothers.  The two took off and began tearing apart each and every room.  They looked under beds, inside closets, boxes, trunks anything that their little half-sister could fit inside and some that she couldn’t possibly get into.  Finally, the stopped their exhaustive search in the room on the third floor where they found her art tablet and pencils. 

Realizing how bad the situation was, they went back down to the parlor to explain to Maze that the party was over.  When they got there, they found their older sister was gone.  Realizing they had been duped, rage went through them, melting way their human glamour and bringing out their demon forms.  Yasha’s true form looked as though he were made of wooden branches all wound around each other.  His red eyes turned into nothing but white light and sticking out between the various branches that made up his chest and stomach were human skulls.  They were all trophies from souls he had consumed in hell.

Akuma’s demon form was different.  Her pretty amethyst eyes suddenly multiplied so that she had six.  Her pretty lips parted and a set of chelicerae emerged.  Her lower body altered its shape and legs emerged giving her a ghastly spider-like appearance.  The two vowed that they would torture and destroy their sister and her little human friend.  In the meantime, they needed to figure out how long they could hide this from their mother.

For the two demon siblings this was a very real fear.  They had been charged with protecting their young sister and failed.  They knew their mother would have no mercy.    The most they could hope for was leniency for helping to track down their wayward sister.  Returning to their human forms, they began to check all security cameras and quickly found their charge sneaking out the dining room window with Maze’s lackey.  They also managed to get a license plate number.  Going to the computer they began to research the plate number, praying that they could get this taken care of before Lilith called.

There was less time then they might have hoped.  In Hawaii Lilith was standing out in the surf laughing at the image of the Lord of Hell as he walked out of the house wearing an American flag speedo, sunglasses and a pair of flip flops.  It was a far cry from the devil that liked to wear three-piece suits.  Seeing her laughter he inquired as to what was so funny.  The demoness could only point and answer with one word ‘you’.  At this, Lucifer threw off his sunglasses and flip flops and charged at her, scooping her up.  Lili screamed in protest, but it went ignored as he dropped her into the ocean and dove in with her.   

Although Lucifer had been there a few days, this was the first time they had actually gone swimming.  He had slept through the first two and at Lilith’s suggestion, they had spent the day before site-seeing on the different islands.  Now Hawaii was a beautiful tropical paradise filled with history and culture and there were plenty of things he would have liked to see, but he had little interest in zip-lining, whale watching, helicopter rides over volcanos, or the obligatory luau.  The devil had gone along with it of course, but only because Lili had wanted to go.  To him, it all seemed like a series of pointless distractions meant to put space between them. 

Truth be told, the devil would have preferred the quiet peace of his old friend’s home where they could talk and reconnect.  Being here and having her close was heaven to him right now and he needed that.  So when the demoness asked what he wanted to do, his answer had been simple: swimming right there at her private beach.  For one he was curious to see if she would wear one of her favorite string bikinis or if she would once more cover-up.  As he suspected, she was wearing a one-piece wrap swimsuit.  It wasn’t like her and he wondered why.  His other reason was to tap into a favorite pastime from their youth.  How many times had they swum together in waters of that tributary that branched off the Pishon River in Eden?  Those were some of the happiest that had shared back then.

“I’m surprised you don’t skinny dip out here since it’s your own private beach,” Lucifer commented as their heads popped above the water. 

“Who says I don’t, ‘Old Scratch’,” she teased.  Lucifer playfully flicked his eyebrows and gave his playful, purry laugh. 

“Why don’t we try that right now?” he suggested, pulling her to him.

“Oh no,” she answered with a wicked smile before pushing him away and swimming back to the shore. 

Leaving the water Lilith grabbed her towel from her beach chair and started to dry off.  Not far behind her, Lucifer emerged from the water and extending his large white wings, started to shake the water from them and in the process splash her.  Lili gave a squeal and ordered him to stop.  He did stop but quickly enveloped her in his arms and pulled her down onto the beach, stretching his long muscled frame over hers.  His lips covered hers and his narrow hips nestled themselves comfortably between her thighs.       

The demoness didn’t stop his advances.  She kissed the salt water from his skin, relishing the feel of him in her arms.  She forgot everything except the pleasure she felt this man’s tongue and fingers.  She didn’t even notice when the devil clasped the tie of her swimsuit at the nape of her neck and pulled gently releasing the cord and freeing her tidbits from the confining fabric.  His mouth quickly captured her breast, his tongue licking at the nipple as he sucked.  Inside Lili was on fire and she didn’t have to look down at his speedo to know if he was.  The devil was about to pull the rest of her swimsuit off when she realized just what would be exposed if he did. 

Instantly she pushed him away and jumped up, quickly fixing her swimsuit.  Lucifer could only sit there stunned.  This was not the Lilith he knew and he was tired of whatever game it was she was playing.  What was she hiding?  He had seen her body the last two nights and it was fine, now she seemed afraid to have him touch her.  He sat there for a few moments cooling his temper before finally standing up and facing her.  He half expected her to have a haughty expression to go along with her game, but she didn’t.  Instead, the demoness looked scared and uncertain.

“What is going on with you?” he demanded.  “What are you hiding, Lilith?”  The demoness started to open her mouth only to have her housekeeper appear on the porch and start walking towards them.       

“ _Ke mō'ī wahine_  you asked me to tell you when it was one o’clock so you could make your phone call.” Iekika smiled sweetly at the demoness.

“Thank you.  I’ll be there in just a moment,” she answered.  The older woman turned and started back towards the house, leaving them alone again.  “I have to make this phone call, but as soon as I’m done I’ll come back out here and I’ll explain everything.  Just . . . just promise me you’ll listen and not be angry.”  Lucifer nodded and watched as his old friend disappeared back into the house.

The fallen Angel waited patiently for her to return, passing the time by either going out into the water for a bit or laying out on the sand, taking in the sun.  After a while, he started to get impatient.  He couldn’t help thinking that Lilith was probably inside trying to wait him out or figure out a way to avoid the discussion altogether.  That thought was enough to raise his ire and he decided to go inside and confront her on it.  No more games, he wouldn’t put up with it anymore. 

Lucifer just made it inside the door when he noticed the housekeeper and asked where the ‘Queen’ had gone.  Before she could answer a loud crash came from Lili’s bedroom answering his question.  He walked down the hall and opened the door to find suitcases open and half full on her bed and a vase lying in pieces on the floor.  Lilith emerged from her closet fully dressed and carrying various articles of clothing which she hastily threw into suitcases.  She left again, this time going into the bathrooms, and came back with a bag of toiletries that tossed in as well.  He didn’t have to ask if she was upset, the smashed vase and the fact that her normally brilliant green eyes had changed to snake eyes. 

“What’s going on?” he asked. 

“I know I said I would talk to you as soon as I got off the phone, but something has come up.  It’s an emergency and I have to get to California as quickly as possible.”  Lilith locked the suitcases and started to put her shoes on.  “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need, but I have to do this.” She pushed past Lucifer and started for the door.  The devil tried to stop her and ask what was going on, but before he could a taxi pulled up in front of the house.  The demoness gave some hurried instruction to Lekika then gave another ‘I’m sorry’ to Lucifer before getting in the cab and driving away.

The devil had no idea what emergency Lilith had or what was going on, but he wasn’t going to let her go into it alone.  Hastily he ran back into the house and began to change and pack his own things.  His old friend was stubborn, but so was he.  She had promised to tell him everything and he was holding her to it even if it meant surprising her at the airport.          


	5. The Lie of Omission

Lilith stood in a long line at the ticket counter of Daniel K Inouye International airport ready to explode.  The line was taking forever.  She kept having to remind herself that while she might be a demon, she could start ripping the heads off people just to make the line move faster.  She glanced at her watch just as the line moved about a quarter of an inch.  She was fairly certain this was a torture used in Hell and she hadn’t even gotten to TSA yet.  Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, a golf cart pulled up beside her with Lucifer seated in the back smiling like the cat that ate the canary.  Lili couldn’t imagine why he was there or what he was up to.

“Need a lift?” he beamed.

“Not unless you have an airplane up your sleeve,” she responded, taking a step forward with the rest of the line.   

“It just so happens that I do,” this barely escaped his lips and Lilith began adding her luggage to his in the golf cart.

“I know I’m going to owe you a massive favor for this.  One that will probably hurt when you decide to call it in, but I really have to get to California and every minute counts.”   She slid in beside him and the devil motioned the driver to go. 

Lucifer’s Boeing 737 looked mostly non-descript as it sat on the tarmac being fueled.  The body of the plane was a simple basic white, but the tail was painted in a vibrant purple and detailed with the Sumerian eight-pointed star symbol of Anu.  As the golf cart pulled up to the aircraft, Lilith could see the pilot in the cockpit followed by the baggage handlers loading their luggage.  This was better than she could have imagined.  Swiftly she grabbed a small leather bag before it could be loaded with the others.  She needed to keep this one with her because this one held items of power as well as objects of great sentimental value. 

Inside the jet was pure luxury with polished oak furnishings accented with sleek white and black accents.  To be honest it felt more like she was stepping into a small social club rather than an aircraft.  Lili sat down in one of the seats next to the window while Lucifer went up to the cockpit to chat with the pilot and make sure that everything was going smoothly.  They discussed the weather forecast, flight path, and just how soon they would be taking off.  The devil was assured that the preflight check was complete and their flight plan had already been submitted and approved.  They were currently in stand-by mode awaiting clearance from the tower then they would be taking off shortly with clear skies all the way to California.  The pilot concluded by advising that they would be arriving at Sacramento International airport in approximately five hours and fifteen minutes, give or take.  Of course the West Coast was also three hours ahead of Hawaii so it would be after nine before they arrived.  Lucifer smiled and told the pilot to carry on then went back to check on Lilith and take his seat. 

The devil barely managed to slide into the seat when he felt the aircraft begin to move and taxi into position on the runway.  After several minutes of waiting the pilot got the go ahead from the tower and they were quickly screaming down the runway.  The devil noticed Lili clutching her bag a moment and seeming nervous.  He couldn’t believe that she, of all people, would be scared of flying.  Then he saw her open her bag and pull out a picture in a frame.  It was the same one he had seen her turn face down in his presence when he arrived in Kauai.  Looking at her face it became apparent that she wasn’t nervous about flying but whatever it was forcing her back to California. 

The two old friends sat in silence until they had reached altitude, then Lucifer rose and went over to the mini bar to fix himself a drink.  He took out a bottle of Blanton’s straight bourbon whiskey and poured it into two glasses.  After putting the bottle away he went over to Lilith and held one of the glasses out for her.  The demoness took it with a polite ‘thank you’ then sipped the amber liquid.  Seeing that she was distracted by everything that was weighing on her, the devil seized the opportunity to look down and see what was in the picture.  What he saw was a little girl that was maybe seven or eight dressed in a white sundress and looking out at the ocean.  The child looked very much like Lilith except that her long dark locks were wavy and her eyes were dark and sparkled with life.  He had no idea who she was or how she was connected with the demoness, but he there was no doubt in his mind that this girl was at the heart of everything that was going on with his old friend.

“So,” Lucifer began, taking a seat in the chair directly in front of Lilith and pretending that he hadn’t seen anything.  “Since I am giving you a lift, I don’t suppose you’ll at least tell what this is all about.”  Lili nodded then reluctantly held up the picture so he could see it.

“This is my daughter, Inara.  She’s almost eight-years-old and has been living for the past year at the Carolands Chateau under the protection of two of my Lilim children, Yasha and Akuma.  I visit her for a week every month and call her every day to see how she’s doing.” For a moment Lili was quiet as she attempted to push back her emotions.  Such things were a weakness in her mind and ripe for exploitation.  She certainly wasn’t going to allow herself to appear fragile and weepy in front of the King of Hell.  “That important call I had to make was my nightly check in, but she wasn’t there.  Someone has taken her.”

“Impossible.” Lucifer corrected, taking a drink of bourbon.  “You can’t have children anymore.  You haven’t been able to produce offspring since Uriel damaged you.”  He knew very well that Lili never lied, but he couldn’t ignore the gaping hole in her story either.

“I know,” she agreed, then took a big gulp of her bourbon to brace herself as she prepared to explain the whole story to the devil.  “You . . . you remember when your brother, Michael, came to LA so he could return me to Hell?”

“Unfortunately yes,” Lucifer sniffed before taking another drink.  Just the thought of Michael Demiurgos left a bad taste in his mouth and as far as he was concerned he needed to stay in the Silver City where he belonged.  The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of his twin’s affair with Lilith.  As it was, he still hadn’t forgiven him for failing to protect her that day at the library when she got shot.    

“That night when we slept together I asked to see his wings and I’m not sure if it was a piece of a feather or just some of the down, but a small fragment broke off.” The demoness stopped for a moment and took another large drink to bolster her courage.  Not understanding where this was going, Lucifer just rolled his eyes as he took a swallow from his own glass.

“That dullard always was lazy about preening.  Mum always had to remind him.”

“I accidentally swallowed the feather.” Hearing this, the fallen angel immediately became silent and his face grew hard, his jaw visibly tightening.  For a flash of a second his dark eyes showed a glimmer of red.  Normally celestial feathers had no effect on demons, but Lilith had always been in a class all of her own and the rules were often different.  He wanted to know just what the feather had done and yet he had this horrible feeling that he didn’t want to hear anymore.  “At the time I thought it had simply given me a high, but I discovered much, much later that it had done a lot more than that.”  Lucifer’s face was trying to appear stoic, but Lili could see the anger and hurt etched in his handsome features.  She was waiting for him to explode, but he wasn’t. 

“Michael Demiurgos,” the devil repeated before finishing his drink.  “Does he know about any of this?”

“No.” Lilith answered, confused.

Lucifer suddenly excused himself and went to the back of the plane where the bedroom was.  He thought about that girl in the picture with her dark waves and those brilliant eyes.  His brother had done exactly what he had feared he would.  He had stolen his family from him.  That blaggard always stole _everything_ from him and he hated him for it.  Why did he have to take _her_?  Lilith was the one person he could always count on when he needed someone.  When all else failed he knew he could call upon the demoness and she would fight at his side along with their son Velius.  Now that was gone.  Lili would never choose between their son and her daughter with Michael and the devil could never ask her to. 

It was true that Lilith had carried on affairs with Ibriel and Uriel but they had been meaningless and the devil had overlooked them.   Watching her with Michael, he could see the sparks between them and it had vexed him deeply.  What could his twin possibly offer a woman such as Lili?  The leader of God’s army was little more than a slave and didn’t even have the balls to stand up before their Father and fight for the woman he wanted.  He was never worthy of Lilith and he never would be.  The devil felt as though his blood was boiling and without realizing what he was doing, Lucifer squeezed the glass in his hand until it shattered into pieces.     

The fallen angel bent down and began to pick up the shattered pieces and wipe up the spilled bourbon.  This wasn’t how things were supposed to be.  He had gone to Kauai to get away from one painful relationship and rekindle what he had with Lilith.  As it was, they had never really talked things through after the death of Ahriman because Michael showed up and got in the way.  He had hoped that they would be able to finally talk as they never had before, but now it seemed that it was too late.  She had given birth to his twin’s daughter and it hurt more deeply than he could have imagined.  He had lost her.  She had chosen Michael Demiurgos and he had lost her.

He wasn’t ready to give up his family just yet though, and the one thing on his side was the fact that his brother wasn’t here and didn’t know.  As soon as he had a chance he would take Lilith someplace quiet and they would talk.  There was so much they needed to talk about, but he couldn’t do it right now.  Right now his emotions were too raw and most likely he would say something that would only make things worse between him and the demoness.  Later was a better time.  Later they would it down and discuss everything.

Lilith surmised that Lucifer was upset even if he had left the room in an attempt to hide it.  She had been expecting this for some time and had fully anticipated that he would be angry and hurt.  He hadn’t even heard the whole story yet.  It was her own stupid fault and she didn’t want or deserve his forgiveness.  She closed her eyes and laid back in the chair and thought of her first born child.  He resembled his father so much, yet at times he had a better moral compass than either her or Lucifer.  Her mind wandered back to the last time she had seen him.  It was the night she gave birth to Inara.  Velius had been visiting, but it was not for fun.  He wanted her to tell Lucifer that she was free of Hell and that she was pregnant.  She had refused and her word was law when it came to her children.  Her reason was simple, he had enough problems to deal with and she did not want to add to it. 

Velius had told her about Eve’s escape from Heaven and that she was playing house for the devil while bringing out the worst in him.  He had only met Eve once while she was in LA and it had not gone well.  Her first mistake was attempting to be all motherly which had only served to annoy him.  Before his arrival she had watched _Leave it to Beaver_ in hopes of showing the fallen angel and his Nephilim son just how good a mom she could be.  Neither were impressed and it only made Lucifer more determined to break up with her.  As for Velius, he had a mother and it wasn’t _her_.  As it was, her whiney high pitched voice grated on him and her constant bouncing up and down was enough to rankle anyone.   

Even more annoying was her behavior when Lucifer left the penthouse to handle a problem down at Lux.  Eve wandered over to where Velius was sitting on the couch, and cozied up next to him.  Her hand nestled itself between his legs along his upper thigh and against his ‘Johnny hog-leg’.  He started to ask what she thought she was doing but as soon he turned his head she tried to stick her tongue down his throat.  Her hands began reaching beneath his shirt then fumbling with the button on his jeans.  Instantly he pushed her away and jumped up, backing away from her as quickly as he could.  This was obviously not a safe place to be.  He had bedded plenty of women in LA and it was possible that any one of them could have also slept with his father, but it was nothing he consciously chose and he definitely didn’t want Eve.   Velius was about to press the button to the elevator when the doors suddenly came open and Lucifer stepped in. 

The Nephilim quickly got in the elevator and advised his father that Eve was one bitch he should get spayed.  Leaving there he went to Hawaii to plead with Lilith to tell Lucifer everything.  As the Lord of Hell, the devil had the right to know that one of his demons had escaped.  He also deserved to know about her impending offspring and the circumstances around it.  As always the demoness refused to listen.  Velius hated that his mother was keeping this all a secret from his father especially since it would only serve to make the hurt feelings much more painful later.  They must have argued about it a dozen times after his arrival in Kauai and it was during the last one that the pains started. 

Lilith never was certain what had caused the early delivery, but it shouldn’t have happened.  She wasn’t due for another couple of months.  It could have been all the stress from the fighting, but it could have been something else too.  After birthing thousands of children she had learned that demons were easy to bear, but carrying a child with celestial blood was unpredictable.  It really all depended on just how powerful the father was.  Giving birth to Briadach and Ahriman had been exhausting but her own supernatural strength had been enough to carry her through.  When she had carried Velius she had been human and the experience had nearly killed her.  It probably would have if it had not been for the intervention of the triplet angels Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof.  Her labor with Inara had been far worse and it had placed Velius in a terrible position where he had been forced to make a difficult decision.

Sitting there on the plane Lilith once more opened her eyes and absently traced the line of her scar just beneath her belt line from one side to the other.  She had to get her daughter back.  Inara was her last chance to prove she could be a good mother.  She had dreamed about this child for ages and she wasn’t going to be robbed of it now.  As much as the demoness hated herself for the way her daughter was conceived, she dearly loved that child and was prepared to destroy whomever was behind her kidnapping. 

“Where are you _Tēvatai [angel]?_ ” she whispered.

If Lilith was feeling the strain of worrying about her daughter, Inara was anything but afraid.  She was having a great time.  She and Misran had been driving for the last two hours and had stopped at a café that was open all day and night.  The little girl had been asking questions none-stop about her myriad of siblings.  She wanted to know what they were like, where they were hiding at, and if any were close to her age.  The only time she stopped talking was when the waitress set a plate of cinnamon French toast in front of her with butter, whipped cream and syrup.  Seeing her eat was something of a relief to the demon.  It had been a centuries since he had spent time around the prattle of children and he was beginning to wonder which one of them was actually the captive.

“Where are you Maze,” Misran mumbled, looking at his watch.  They had agreed to rendezvous at this restaurant before going to their final hiding place.  He was starting to wonder if Mazikeen had gotten caught.  If she had, then at least she wouldn’t be able to reveal much of the plan.  The one thing Misran had done as a precaution was leave out some of the important details.  To begin with, he had failed to mention that the offspring in his custody was actually their half-blood sibling.  All Maze knew was that the urchin was some kid that their mother had adopted and was purely human.  The idea that Lilith would raise up a human to command the Lilim was the ultimate insult to Mazikeen, and for Misran the lie had been very useful in gaining his sisters help. 

Misran took the last bite of his hamburger and was wiping some mustard from his mouth when his missing demon sister finally strolled in.  She slid into the booth next to her brother and stared at the child across from them.  There was only one small human that Maze had ever taken a liking to and this little imp wasn’t Trixie.  Inara looked up at the woman dressed in black leather and sporting a natural irritated expression and smiled broadly.  Mazikeen couldn’t help thinking that there was something oddly familiar about that smile and yet she couldn’t place it.  There was a mischievous air to it as though she was trying to be charming so she could get out of trouble or outsmart someone or something.  Regardless of what was behind it, Maze was not falling for it.            

“So this is her,” the demoness sniffed, completely unimpressed.  At first glance there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about the girl.  Why would Lilith want to adopt her, let alone make her head of the Lilim?

“Who are you?” The child demanded.  At her question Maze just rolled her eyes unwilling to even acknowledge the imp.

“This is Mazikeen.” Misran explained.  “She’s one of your big sisters.” At this Maze jabbed her big brother in the side with her elbow.  Why on earth would he want to encourage their mother’s lie? 

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to meet another one of my sisters.  I know Akuma but she doesn’t like to play, or read books.  She really doesn’t do much of anything except sharpen her knives and pace around the house looking out the windows.  Do you like to play?” Inara asked, then quickly answered her own question.  “No, I don’t think you do.  You look too sour and cross to have fun.”  This observation made Misran give a quick snort of laughter that got him jabbed once more in the ribs.

“I am _not_ sour or cross,” Maze corrected.

“Are you constipated?  You have the same expression on your face as the guy in the Ex-lax commercial.”  The child’s observation only made Misran about choke on his coffee and erupt in a mix of coughing and laughing.  Mazikeen was anything but amused.

“Just finish your food.”  The demoness snarled before turning to her big brother.  “Lilith is probably already on to us so the sooner we get to our destination, the more fortified our stand against her will be.  See you there.”

The demoness got up and left the restaurant leaving Misran sitting in silence at the table.  Yes, they were heading for something, but it wasn’t to finally have it out with their mother exactly.  He glanced out the window at the dark sky and sighed.  He felt like he was in the middle of a tug of war between two powerful entities and he was the rope.  He knew that his mother would surely kill him for what he was doing, but he also knew that if he returned to Hell without accomplishing what his father wanted then it would lead to the same end.  There was no right direction.  He was even sorry he had drawn Maze into this thing because her life would also be forfeit.  Softly he shook his head and reminded himself that if Lilith was brought to heel then his father, Asmodeus, would reward him handsomely.  Yes, he needed to think only about the rewards. 

Looking across the table at the little girl eating her last bite of French toast, he smiled kindly.  _Whatever human planted his seed in mum, did you no favors_ , he thought to himself.  The waitress came over and handed him the check, which he paid then announced that it was time to go.  Inara followed him to the car, her dark waves bouncing as she moved.  As she buckled her seatbelt the idle chatter started up again.  She lamented not bringing any books to read to pass the time, or her favorite doll, Amora.  The child then proceeded to tell Misran all about her doll and how it was made of glass with a pretty painted face, long dark ringlets and a long old fashioned blue dress.  This doll was particularly special to both Lilith and Inara since it had been a gift from the child’s father to her mother a long, long time ago.  It was really the only thing the girl knew about her father and wished her mother would tell her more. 

“Don’t you ever sleep?” Misran finally cut in when she took a breath.

“Sometimes, but I can go days without it.”

“Shit,” the demon mumbled under his breath.

“Are all my sisters as angry and unhappy as Mazikeen?” 

“Actually . . . no,” he answered.  “Most of the Lilim get along just fine and are perfectly content with our lot.  Mazikeen . . . well, Mazikeen made a mistake when she was young and has blamed everyone ever since.  She’s particularly angry at our mother.”

“Why?  Mummy wouldn’t hurt her.”

“I’m afraid you don’t know our mother as well as you think you do,” the demon answered.  This seemed to silence the child, much to Misran’s relief. 

They continued their journey, only stopping for gas occasionally and picking up a package of teeny tiny powdered donuts for Inara.  By the time they reached Pasadena, he was certain she must have fallen asleep because he hadn’t heard a word out of her.  After stopping at another gas station in Arrowhead to get a cup of coffee, he was ready to finish the trek to the chosen hiding place.  He was just pulling onto Rim of the World Highway when he noticed a glow in his back seat.  Glancing back there, the demon suddenly slammed on his breaks in shock.  Inara was sitting quietly with her hands cupped in front of her and floating in the air just above them was a ball of fire.           

Misran sat there momentarily hypnotized by the flaming orb and natural skill with which she could move it and spin it without ever actually touching it.  Watching the sphere and feeling the heat that emanated from it made his blood run cold.  This child was no spawn of a human, of that he was certain.  Before he hadn’t been concerned with her parentage, but seeing this glimpse of her power he was starting to wonder.  Lilith was a force to be reckoned with by herself, add in a high ranking demon or angel and he may have bitten off more than he could chew.   

“Stop!” he suddenly blurted out.  Instantly the fireball was gone and the child stared at him as though she had done something wrong and was going to be punished.  Seeing that look, he softened his voice and explained that a vehicle full of gasoline and a ball fire don’t mix.  “Um . . . besides giving our mother the doll, has she ever mentioned anything else about your father?” 

“Well, there was the time I took an ice cube from my glass and set it on fire.  Mummy saw it and I heard her say something about my father being really powerful.”

“Well, isn’t that just peachy,” he groaned, turning around and pulling back on the road.     


	6. Monsters with Friendly Faces & Angels with Scars

When Lucifer’s jet touched down in Sacramento, Lilith attempted to make a hasty departure so as not to add to the hurt feelings that had cropped up between her and devil.  She wasn’t angry at his reaction and had no expectation of receiving his continued help.  The demoness simply wanted to get out of her old friends way and let him get back to his life, no strings, and no obligations.  It was undoubtedly better this way.  Unfortunately Lilith found it difficult to sneak off since the baggage handlers were taking forever unloading the luggage.  Evidentially Lucifer’s endless supply of trunks filled with his wardrobe was the only thing they could find.  Her Samsonite was the last thing they finally pulled from the cargo hold and she wasted no time snatching it up and began to walking away.  Unfortunately it wasn’t fast enough.

“Taking off without me?” the devil asked, instantly stopping her escape.

“Well, now that you know the truth about Inara, I just assumed your assistance was over.  It’s not as though you owe me anything.”

“Well, Michael may ignore his obligations, but I do _not_ ,” he answered.  This didn’t exactly make sense to Lili.  What obligations could the devils twin possibly have where she was concerned?  “Shall we get a rental car?  I suppose we could fly the old fashion way, but it could be problematic taking our luggage with us.”  He was joking of course, but seeing him back to his usual waggish humor, gave Lilith confidence that things would be okay between them.    

Back in Los Angeles, Chloe did not have that confidence.  She sat in front of her laptop with several copies of the precinct vacation forms laying on the couch next to her.  She was engrossed in comparing flight prices to Honolulu, but sighed in frustration because she would also need to book a flight from there to the island of Kauai.  Making matters worse was the fact that her boss, Lt. Daughtry had denied her previous two attempts at getting time off for this little excursion.  The reason given was that two other detectives had already taken off during that time.  Chloe checked the schedule and it was true, but she still couldn’t help feeling like she was constantly under the microscope with this guy.

Lt. Daughtry had taken Marcus Pierce’s place after the latter’s death and while the detective had missed the first month of working with him, she noticed many changes when she got back.  The new boss had said very little to her initially, but there was something in the way he looked at her that made her feel as though he knew every inappropriate and unethical decision she had made under Pierce.  She didn’t see it when he spoke with others and of course he was always laughing and joking with Lucifer.  Lt. Daughtry was even cordial and pleasant with Dan. 

For the first two years the most she ever got from him was an occasional grunt and sometimes a rare two word answer.  One day she decided to confront him on it.  Chloe was confident in her record and her abilities as a detective.  She was the best in the precinct and deserved to be treated better.  Without hesitation she told him how she felt in a polite and professional manner.  Lt. Daughtry just stared at her until she was finished then reached into his drawer and pulled out a folder.  Carefully opening it, he started to recite each end every injury sustained by her partner, Lucifer Morningstar.  He was quick to point out that these incidents were reported, not by her partner, but from witnesses on the scene as well as the EMT’s who patched him up.  Chloe tried to explain that Lucifer was hard-headed and it was extremely difficult to keep him from taking on suspects.  While the lieutenant didn’t argue her point, he was quick to tell her that she was in fact, a trained officer and it was her duty to protect him. 

Lt. Daughtry laid that page aside then turned to the next document and began to read a report that was filed with internal affairs regarding certain inappropriate behavior that was witnessed between her and her previous boss Lt. Marcus Pierce.  He had several of these reports all sent in by different officers.  They talked about everything from flirtation, favoritism, disappearing together for two or more hours at a time while on the clock.  One co-worker had even followed them back to Chloe’s apartment.  There, through her living room window, they had taken several pictures of their ‘activities’ on Chloe’s couch. 

“It seems you two were quite the talk of the precinct, for a while,” the Lieutenant smirked.  “Of course, the fact that we now know that your little boy friend was head of a criminal organization means we also have to wonder what part you played in that.  Funny how you disappeared for a month right after his death.”  Hearing this Chloe blanched and didn’t say anything.  Instead she fidgeted with the bullet necklace hanging around her neck. 

Setting those reports aside, Lt. Daughtry, moved on to a report filed by one of Trixie’s former school teachers for attempted poisoning.  It seems the child had brought brownies to school laced with marijuana and it caused the teacher to be hospitalized.  Charges were swiftly dropped and Trixie was quietly moved to a different school.  The lieutenant smirked and asked just how she managed to keep Family Services off her doorstep.  Once again Chloe didn’t answer.  He did point out that when the matter was looked into they discovered that the brownies in question had been prepared by a woman called Mazikeen Smith with an arrest record of her own. 

“So, you come in to my office with claims that you’re not being treated well by me.  Do you know what I see, Det. Decker?  I see an officer who was formally married to a cop who was demoted for corruption, stands aside while her civilian partner is in danger, dated her boss, who happened to also be head of massive criminal underground while receiving numerous favors from him.  In fact I still have questions regarding one or two of your cases, particularly one involving a certain Mazikeen Smith.  I’ve looked into this particular woman and while she seems to be an excellent bounty hunter, she is also involved in many questionable activities and even has a record.  I believe she was also your roommate and sent your child to school with pot brownies.  Now, Det. Decker, you will receive my respect when you have earned it.  Get out of my office”

Chloe had never felt more humiliated then she did hearing all that documentation.  She was not the person in those reports and yet it was all true.  Never had she been so glad to see a meeting come to an end.  More importantly she was relieved to know that there were no charges against her at this time, but she would certainly be watched closely. Six years later, she and the lieutenant still had the same warm relationship, which was why his decision not approve her vacation felt more personal than simply a question of staffing.

Looking at her laptop and the travel arrangements waiting to be booked, Chloe sighed.  If she didn’t get to Hawaii soon then she might lose her chance at making up with Lucifer and she didn’t want that to happen.  Grabbing her calendar she turned to the next potential week and started filling out yet another vacation slip.  She managed to get half of the form filled out when a loud knocking on the door broke the silence and startled her, causing her pen slip and leave a huge line across the page.  Getting up from the couch, the detective went to the door to see the ever exuberant Ella Lopez on the other side looking as though she was about to burst with joy.

“I take it you need something,” Chloe commented as she opened the door letting her friend in.

“Guess who just contacted me.” Ella was starting to bounce slightly in excitement. 

“How should I know,” the detective answer, a tad annoyed.  She didn’t have time for silly guessing games.  She needed to get another vacation form turned in then pray for some divine intervention so she could get a week off.  “Gary Zebrowski down in holding.”

“Eww, no.” It wasn’t that Gary was necessarily bad looking or anything.  It was simply that he had this personality that screamed ‘half-assed’.  There was always remnants of crumbs, sauce or condiments of some kind stuck in the red hairs of his beard and he was always trying to prove he was the smartest guy in the precinct.  Gary also had the distinction of being the only person at the police station that she had gotten into loud verbal arguments with.       

“He’s really into you.”  Chloe teased.  “Like, total five alarm fire.”

“That’s not funny.  I told you I was sorry about the whole Pecker thing.”

“I don’t know, you and Gary could make some cute babies.” The detective added, unable to resist needling her some more.

“No.  A million times, no.”  Ella returned, sick at the very idea.  “Do you want to know who contacted me or not?”

“You’re obviously dying to tell me so go ahead.”

“Lucifer.” The forensic pathologist smiled brightly as Chloe looked up at her with wide eyes.  “He called me from his jet and asked me to drive all the way to the Carolands Chateau with my lab kit.  He didn’t tell me why or give me any details, but it’s Lucifer and I trust him.”

“Carolands Chateau is around five hours away,” Chloe contemplated, sitting back in her chair.

“You have the weekend off, Trixie is at Dan’s and I could really use some company on the long drive.” 

“Let me grab my keys,” The detective announced, snatching up her purse. 

Like Thelma and Louise the pair took off as fast as they could.  They made one stop so they could fill up the gas tank, get some coffee and an array of over-priced snack foods to munch on.  Yet even as they beginning their journey, another had come to an end.  The hiding place chosen by Mazikeen and Misran was an old forgotten church near Santa’s Village and Lake Arrowhead.  The place was made of red brick with boards over its windows and was surrounded by trees, bushes and overgrowth that hid most of the building.  If it wasn’t for the steeple and bell tower then the entire structure would have been completely obscured.  Misran opened the car trunk and took out a sleeping bag and handed it to Inara then got one out for himself, as well as a small gym bag then led the child inside the decaying edifice. 

The interior was dark except for a couple of lanterns that Maze had set up.  Some of the pews were knocked over and there old hymnals lying about.  Almost all the religious décor had been stripped from the building long ago and where the pulpit used to stand there was nothing but dust and debris.  The walls had been spray painted with various messages that added to the eerie atmosphere such as ‘God doesn’t live here anymore’.  The demon set his sleeping bag on one of the pews along with his knapsack then turned to the girl.    

“No fire tricks in here,” Misran instructed Inara.  “Don’t mention your abilities or show them at all to Mazikeen, got it?”

“Why, will she get upset?”

“Yes.  She’ll get very upset.” The demon answered.  This wasn’t exactly a lie.  If Maze saw that the child wasn’t human then she would know that he had been lying to her and everything would be ruined.  He couldn’t have that. 

He looked around the room as he led the child from the foyer to the sanctuary and immediately his eyes fell upon Maze seated on the altar as though it were nothing but a convenient bench.  Next to her was the last four cans of a six-pack of coconut water, her drink of preference.  She nodded at her big brother then looked at the child as though she was an insect needing to be squashed.  For the first time since she had met Misran, Inara was uneasy about following him.  There was something about this place that made her terribly uneasy. 

“We can’t stay here.  There’s something bad in this place,” she said, stepping back towards the door. 

“Get used to it because you’re not going anywhere.” Mazikeen snapped as she cracked open a new can of coconut water then hopped off the altar.  “These are mine, by the way, so don’t touch them.”

Misran walked over to the front door and shut it then closed the padlock on the latch they had installed, before slipping the key into his pocket.  He walked over to his sister and told her to cool it.  There was no reason to make the kid more uneasy than she already was.  He had a very real concern when it came to making Inara scared.  He didn’t want her to unleash her powers in moment of panic and set fire to the rickety old building.  That could get them all killed. 

Maze was hardly concerned about the child and instead suggested calling their mother so they could hurry this long over-due confrontation and go back to their regular lives.  Misran assured her that Lilith would be here soon enough and to just relax.  He couldn’t tell her that there was a much bigger game happening, or that the stakes were higher then she knew.  Right now it was wiser to be cautious and calm the child then stir up unnecessary problems.

The demon went over and took the sleeping bag from the child then unrolled it for her.  Seeing the fear in her eyes, he assured her that everything was going to be fine and that things wouldn’t look so bad in the morning.  Hesitantly she got inside the bag and laid down, but she wasn’t sure if she would be able to sleep.  He looked over at Maze and saw her roll her eyes.  She couldn’t understand why he bothered being so nice to this small human.  Why lead her on when they were going to pull the rug out from under her? 

Mazikeen opened up her own bedroll and laid it out in the place where a piano probably once stood, then snuggled down inside leaving Misran in the darkness alone.  He silently took up his satchel and opening it, he took out the vial with all the remaining sedative they had stolen from Lucifer’s safe.  He looked over at the three cans of coconut water still sitting on the altar and contemplated this situation.  He could so easily pour this into one of those cans and give it to the girl.  She trusted him, so really, all he had to do was tell her that it would help her sleep and she would drink it.  Once she was unconscious, he could easily take out the chalk he had brought with him, draw the symbol of Asmodeus on the floor and summon him.  It would be easy.  Lilith would relinquish control of the Lilim to get her daughter back and as a reward, he would remain the leader of the demon army. 

Misran started to get up and took a few steps only to stop as Mazikeen abruptly left her sleeping bag to snatch up her remaining coconut water.  She looked at Misran and grunted a quick ‘nobody better touch my coconut water’ then went back to her sleeping bag, tucking the cans in with her.  Yep, that was definitely the Maze he grew up with.  He could still remember how angry she was when she saw that their mother was using one of Maze’s old baby blankets to wrap one of their new siblings in.  She was so angry in fact that Lilith had caught her sneaking up to the baby’s bed with her dagger drawn.  This particular incident was also the first time he could recall seeing Maze and their mother get into a physical altercation. 

Misran slipped of the bottle of sedative back into his bag then started to unroll his own sleeping bag.  He really didn’t want to hurt Inara and believed firmly that she would be safe and returned to their mother when this was all over.  Digging a little further through his clothes he found another object wrapped carefully in one of Lucifer’s pocket squares.  Taking it out, he grabbed one of the lanterns and carried it to a side room that led to what had once been the baptistery. 

The room was small and the distinct smell of mildew permeated it.  Setting down the lamp, he then got down on his knees and pulled back the folds of the handkerchief.  Inside was a black scrying mirror that he had made from picture frame glass and black spray paint.  He had consecrated it using demonic spells that he had learned in Hell during his youth.      

Misran spoke into the glass and called to his father, Asmodeus.  From the black depths of the glass he could suddenly see smoke and the hazy blue unnatural light of Hell.  He continued to call until through the light and haze the face of Asmodeus appeared with his white hot eyes and black and white lines of his face.   It was hardly a clear image, but he knew him all the same.   The dark prince eyed his son coolly.  He had expected that when he saw him again it would be because he had been summoned to the earthly plane, _not_ through a scrying mirror.

“I have the girl father, but I will need more time.”

“Why?” Asmodeus asked in a low growl.

“Mazikeen thinks that we’re doing this to stand up to mum and I need time to get her out of here.” He explained.

“You spilled everything to Maze?” the dark prince shouted, clearly angered by this turn of events. 

“Of course not.  I needed someone to help me find the place where the child was kept so I told her the girl was fully human and mum had adopted her to make her head of the Lilim.  She thinks were going to take a stand against Lilith.”  Hearing this, Asmodeus started laughing riotously.

“I knew you were smarter than your brother Dromos.” The dark prince managed to say.  “Mazikeen’s weakness has always been her anger at her mother.  What better weapon to use against her.  Take whatever time you need, _but_ do not think you can betray me and hide on the earthly face.  I am far more powerful than you and there are ways of punching a hole into that world from this one and I will find you and break you.”

This was no idle threat and Misran knew it.  He had seen his father skillfully peel the skin off of souls trapped in Hell and feel nothing at their screams of pain and cries for mercy.  The scrying mirror went back to black, leaving the demon alone in the side room.  Carefully he re-wrapped the piece of glass with the pocket square then leaned back against the wall and wondered if Lilith was even aware of what had happened to Inara.  Surely she did.  He could only imagine the amount of trouble Akuma and Yasha were in.  Whatever problems they were enduring at their mother’s hands was a fraction of what he would endure if she caught him, of that he was sure.

His assumption that Akuma and Yasha were in deep trouble didn’t begin to describe the situation.  The only thing standing between them and endless pain was Lucifer Morningstar.  As soon as they arrived at Carolands Chateau, Lilith immediately demanded answers.  Without hesitation they told her about Maze’s visit and the human male that she said worked for her.  They were also quick to give her the images they had taken from the security cameras of their license plates and faces.  Anything to be helpful.  The demoness began to search the place for clues as to where they might have taken Inara, but this became hampered as Lucifer kept stopping her from touching anything.

“You’re tampering with a crime scene,” he pointed out, trying to appear the true professional while oblivious to the fact that he was always being reminded of the very same things every time he entered a crime scene.  “You should be wearing gloves, you know.”

“Thank you Sherlock, if I need any more tips I’ll contact Beaniebag Cabbagepatch,” she snapped.

“I believe that’s Benedict Cumberbatch.”

“I know who it is!”  Lili responded, her voice echoing across the main hall.  Both Yasha and Akuma gave a sideways glance at each other than snickered.  It wasn’t often they got to witness an exchange such as this between demoness and devil.  “Is something funny?” She asked turning back to her two offspring.  Instantly they were silent and sat up straight, their eyes looking straight ahead as they awaited their fates.  “I trusted you with your sister’s care.  I gave you explicit instructions _NOT_ to let anyone in this place without my expressed permission so the first thing you halfwits do is let in Mazikeen.”

“She said . . .”

“I don’t care what she said.  Maze lies.  Maze has _always_ lied,” the demoness roared.

“ _Aḻakāṉa_ , Maze is a lot of things but . . . I don’t think she would harm a child,” the devil put in. 

“Then you don’t know her as well as you think you do.  Squee has a better grasp of limitations and simple basic decency then Maze . . . and no one likes Squee.”  This was a fact that was more than a little well known to the Lilim and had even passed to the other demonic denizens of Hell.  Unfortunately it was also a fact that no one could quite remember why Squee was so disliked.  For a moment the brother and sister snickered at the idea of Maze being lower than Squee.  Instantly Lilith caught Akuma by the jaw, determined to put an end to the juvenile levity, but before she could, the gate buzzed interrupting the lesson.

Lilith went over and checked the security camera, but the demoness didn’t recognize the car.  Lucifer smiled and explained that it was probably just Ella, but he could see that his old friend was wary about letting the forensic scientist in.  Hoping to ease her concerns, he explained that Miss Lopez had the skills and equipment to get fingerprints and any other evidence that could identify the young man that came with Maze.  He also promised that Ella was trustworthy and understood discretion.  Trusting her old friend, Lili opened the gate and watched as the car pulled into the circular drive. 

Going to the front door, Lilith was already dreading the hug that inevitably came with Ella.  Not that she dislike the sweet ever-positive forensic scientist, quite the opposite.  Miss Lopez was open, accepting and had a way of making feel good about yourself.  What Lilith didn’t like were the hugs.  Perhaps it was simply the demon in her.  As soon as the heavy oak door opened, the demoness knew that her instincts were right.  The moment Ella saw Lili, her eyes got big and a rush of excitement filled her.  _Let it be quick and painless_ , she thought to herself as the bubbly forensic scientist totally forgot the meaning of personal space and threw her arms around her.     

“Oh my God!!  You’re back!!!” Ella cried out in joy.  “I thought you were dead.  Well I mean, I figured out you weren’t dead once I learned that Lucifer was actually the devil.  Not that he brought up the fact that you were a demon, I just realized that if he’s really the devil then that meant you were _the_ Lilith and probably in Hell.  Not that I wanted you to be in Hell, I mean, what did you really do that was so bad anyway?  Leave an unhappy marriage?  Who cares if . . .”

“Ella,” Lilith interrupted, getting Miss Lopez’s attention and politely wiggling out of her embrace.  “I missed you too.” 

Looking up, the demoness noticed Det. Decker standing a few feet away.  They both eyed each other coolly and it was obvious that neither expected to see each other, nor were they happy about it, Lili ushered both women inside watching Lucifer’s face as he saw Chloe.  The tenderness that filled his eyes at the sight of the detective made it obvious that he still loved her, but the sudden drop of his shoulders and sad expression brought to mind a puppy dog that had been kicked and was afraid it would happen again.  Lilith walked over to the devil and voiced her feelings in the old forgotten language still familiar to the two of them.

“ _Avaḷ iṉṉum nampakamāṉavaḷ, vivēkamuḷḷavaḷ eṉṟu nīṅkaḷ niṉaikkiṟīrkaḷā_? [Do you still think she's trustworthy and discreet?]” Lucifer’s only answer was to shush her.

“Lucifer,” Chloe smiled, uncertain of what to say or do.

“Detective.”

“I came with Ella to help out.  She mentioned that you needed her forensic expertise and I thought maybe I could be of some help too.”  The detective looked down at the floor and at her feet as she began to nervously fidget.  For a second, Lucifer was ready to accept Chloe’s help, but seeing the intense stare from Lilith and the tension in her jaw and neck, he thought better of the idea.

“While I appreciate your offer, I’m afraid it’s not really up to me.”  

“O-oh . . . I didn’t realize . . .” the detective’s voice trailed off and her shoulders slumped.  The discomfort that was already in the air with her and Ella’s arrival now seemed thick enough to cut with a knife.  The large dark eyes of Miss Lopez kept moving back and forth between Lili, Lucifer and Chloe while she fussed slightly with the hem of her ‘ _I eat glitter for breakfast_ ’ t-shirt. 

“Well, it seems Lilith’s daughter has been kidnapped . . .” The devil began, attempting to explain why it was out of his hands.

“ _Pōtum!_ [Enough!]” The demoness snapped, the word sounding more like the threatening growl of an animal than a person.  For once she wanted Chloe to stay out of this and _not_ interfere.  This involved Lucifer, Inara and herself, _not_ the detective.

“ _Nīṅkaḷ avaḷuṭaiya utaviyai eṭukka vēṇṭum_ , [You should take her help,]” Lucifer responded. 

“ _Illai._ [No.]”

“They’re talking about me, aren’t they?” Chloe commented off-handedly to Ella, but never took her eyes off the scene before her. 

“Oh yeah,” responded Miss Lopez, equally entranced by what was happening.

 “ _Avar taṉatu tuṟaiyil ciṟanta tuppaṟiyum naparkaḷil_ _oruvar Etuvum illāta iraṇṭāvatu tīrvu vikitattuṭaṉ. Avaḷuṭaiya utaviyai nīṅkaḷ mikavum mōcamāka ceyya muṭiyum_.  [She is one of the top detectives in her field with a solve rate that is second to none.  You could do a lot worse than her help.]”  Lucifer’s assertions about Chloe’s ability as a detective were accurate and Lilith well knew it.  She just couldn’t shake the uncertainty that her old friend would be more interested in protecting Det. Decker than in saving Inara.  She had seen him cast aside his word and friendships in the past in favor of his partner, why wouldn’t he do it now?

“ _Nīṅkaḷ tuppaṟiyum naparaic cuṟṟi vēṇṭum, itaṉāl nīṅkaḷ avaḷaip paṟṟik koḷḷalām maṟṟum avaḷuṭaiya kālaṭiyil uṅkaḷait tāḻttik koḷḷalām. Yāraiyum kāppāṟṟuvatil nīṅkaḷ kavalaippaṭavillai_ , [You want the detective around so that you can fawn over her and debase yourself at her feet.  You don't care about saving anyone,]” she hissed.

“ _Nāṉ uṉṉāl itaic ceykiṟēṉ Inara.  Nīṅkaḷ avaḷaik kaṇṭupiṭittu vīṭṭiṟku aḻaittu vara virumpiṉāl, tuppaṟiyum uṅkaḷukku ciṟanta vāyppu,_ [I am doing this because of you and Inara.  If you want to find her and bring her home then the detective is your best chance.]” 

“ _Eṉṉiṭam cattiyam ceyyuṅkaḷ, Samael, Camēl, uṅkaḷ vāḻkkaiyil eṉṉiṭam cattiyam ceyyuṅkaḷ, anta peṇṇukkāṉa uṅkaḷ uṇarvukaḷai mīṇṭum toṭaravum pātukāppataṟkum nīṅkaḷ talaiyiṭa aṉumatikka māṭṭīrkaḷ Inara_. [Swear to me, Samael, swear to me on your life that you will not allow your feelings for that woman to interfere with rescuing and protecting Inara.]” Without a moment’s hesitation the devil gave his word.  In that instant the tension that had filled the room lessened.  “Well, detective, it seems that someone thinks enough of your abilities to put an awful lot on the line for you.  I hope you won’t disappoint.” 


	7. Memories and the Distant Rumble of Thunder

Ella and Chloe immediately got to work and started looking for clues, fingerprints, anything that would lead them to Inara.  For the most part, Lilith remained the main hall, silent and lost in thought.  Seeing her there and hoping to put an end to the hostilities between them, or at least have a truce, Chloe approached the demoness.

“I really do want to help,” the detective ventured.  Lilith looked up at her, her eyebrow raised in uncertainty.  “You once stepped in and saved Trixie so let me do the same for you.”  Lilith softly nodded, knowing she truly needed the detective’s help.

“I feel like I can barely breathe,” the demoness said softly.  Chloe placed her hand over Lilith’s and sighed.

“I know.”

“That’s a wrap,” Ella announced as she came bounding down the stairs with her kit all packed up and slung over her shoulder.  She had gleaned the place of evidence and eager to get back to LA and process it.  Akuma and Yasha were unceremoniously returned to the deepest pits of Hell, grateful to be spared their mother’s wrath for now.  Lilith wandered up the stairs as Ella headed outside and loaded her kit in into the car.  She was all set to leave, but Chloe wasn’t ready just yet.  She had been waiting for a moment when she could catch Lucifer alone, but no opportunity had presented itself.  Seeing him alone next to the door smoking a cigarette, she saw her chance and immediately went over.  Nervously she bit at her lip while she played over and over in her mind what she wanted to say.

Ella watched from the car with a smile and quietly cheered her friend on.  She was always ready to lend encouragement and positive energy whenever any of her friends needed it.  Right now she knew that Chloe wanted to patch things up with Lucifer and the ever-cheerful forensic scientist was going to give her all the support she needed to make that happen.  Although, if she were honest, she wasn’t certain who really belonged with who.  There was never any doubt that the devil and detective had chemistry and a strong attachment, but she had observed the same when he was with Lilith too.  Sometimes when she was cheering for one side to get their ‘happily ever after’ she couldn’t help feeling like she was somehow jilting the other.

“So,” Chloe began, crossing her arms.  “It’s been a long night and we have an even longer drive ahead of us.”

“Yes we do.”

“Um . . . we could drive together . . . and we could talk,” she suggested.  “We . . . we have a lot to talk about, Lucifer.”

“Indeed, but . . .” The devil began, looking at her regretfully.  “I’m afraid Lili is riding along with me.”  Seeing the disappointment on Chloe’s face, he immediately tried to explain.  “You see, her car is in storage back in LA and since I already have the rental car . . .”

“No, its okay . . . its okay,” she nodded, putting on her best fake smile.  “We’ll talk when we get back.”

“Yes . . . we will.” Lucifer agreed.  They did need to talk, she was right about that, but given Lilith’s emotional state, he didn’t think it was wise to trap her in a car for six hours with a woman that crushes up Christmas cheer into powder form and then runs rails of it.    

Chloe sighed, then went back to her car where Ella was waiting.  As she was putting the key into the ignition, Ella could hear her mumbling about the infuriating world of demon’s, devils and the need for a hot bath and a glass of wine.  Looking at her friend timidly, the forensic scientist asked Chloe if she was going to be okay.  The detective answered that she would be fine then reached over and snatched up a package of Hostess Chocolate zingers.  If she couldn’t drown her frustration in alcohol then she would do it with chocolate.

After watching the detective drive off with Ella, the devil made sure that everything was still loaded up in his car then put out his cigarette and went to get Lilith.  He called out her name but his voice only echoed through the cavernous mansion.  He looked around the first floor and then the second but didn’t see the demoness.  Finally he went to the third and found Lili seated on the floor of the playroom staring down at the Inara’s art tablet.  The last picture she had been working on was an attempt at copying an illustration from the book Pippi Longstocking and it was almost a spot on copy. 

Lili ached to hold her daughter, but had managed to pacify herself by the child’s favorite doll, Amora.  The toy was an old one, but extremely well kept.  Its face was bisque with pretty painted pink lips and cheeks. Its glass brown eyes were so dark that they were easily confused for black and looked out from sockets carefully painted with dark lashes and brows.  The doll was dressed in a fine dark blue silk gown with a bustle that had details of white lace and brocade that had started to yellow with age.  On top of its bisque head was a bonnet that was covered in pretty silk flowers and was held to its head a ribbon that was tied beneath the dolls chin.  This hat was more than decorative, it helped keep the wig of long delicate ringlets on its fragile glass head. 

“Isn’t that the doll I gave you in Paris after you helped me get my ring back?” Lucifer asked.

“There was no ‘we’, _I_ got your ring back for you.”

“Funny, I distinctly remember us working together,” he corrected. 

“Really, and how exactly did you manage that when you were locked in a prison wearing shackles forged in Hell?”

“I remained calm and delegated the task to you.” He smiled brightly at her as though he had proven his point.

“Really, because I don’t remember you saying any such thing.  As I recall I was the one who managed to trick Asmodeus and get your ring back along with the key to the chains you were wearing and I did it all out of the kindness of my heart,” she looked over at him with a smug grin. 

“What heart?” he teased. 

“The black one that I keep locked away with my Lilim crown,” she answered acidly, then taking the doll in her arms rose and went over to her friend.  Over the centuries, the devil and demoness had gone on numerous adventures that were supposed to be fun and relaxing and ended up rowdy, rambunctious and dangerous with both of them trying to escape some village, town or city.  Their accidental meeting in Paris during the eighteen-seventies was no exception.  Perhaps Asmodeus’ trickery and Lucifer almost being locked into one of cells of the underworld wasn’t so pleasant, but the camaraderie, sheer fun and intimacy with Lilith had been some of the happiest times he had experienced in a long time. 

The doll, with its sawdust body and frozen painted face commemorated that adventure and was a loving reminder of their long enduring friendship.  Seeing that it was in such good condition, made the devil happy because to him it meant that she must feel the same way.  It really seemed like such a long time ago since he had purchased the doll and in human years it certainly was.  For immortals it should seem like hardly any time at all and yet after everything they had gone through in the last ten years, it seemed like a whole other lifetime.  At the time he hadn’t understood Lilith’s fascination with the bisque figure, and really he still didn’t, nor did he know why she had brought it back to earth.  It was true that Hell wasn’t exactly a place where things were safe and protected, but he knew the demoness well enough to know that she stored it, along with her other prized possessions, in her private palace hidden in the land behind the waterfall of swords. 

Lilith had discovered this territory after a particularly bitter fight with Lucifer and it turned out to be a wise choice.  The entrance was both dangerous and extremely difficult to find.  There was only one place where a person could slip behind the water of sharp blades and that was along a narrow ledge high above a seemingly bottomless pit.  More than one demon had lost their footing and died trying to find the way in.  Once you got past that danger you entered a small cave that had what appeared to be a deep well in the very center, but this was misleading. 

Looking down the well, there was no water to be found, but a series of large arched windows cut into the rock and spiraling down towards stone tiled floor below.  On the other side of those windows was staircase carved from the same stone and illuminated by the ethereal moss that grew along the edges and emerged from cracks and crevices while giving off a pale green light.  The entrance to the stairs was obscured by the darkness of the small cave, but to those who knew where to look or were willing to stretch out their hand and feel, then in the stone face, there was a carved Babylonian relief of ‘The Bird Woman’.  Pressing the figure of the woman moved the stone and revealed the entrance into the well.    

Once you arrived at the bottom of the well there was three tunnels from which to choose from.  One led to a large cavern filled with otherworldly plants of various strange and exotic colors and fragrances.  Fed by a waterfall of dark midnight blue water that poured from the rocks into several small narrow creeks, the place seemed a strange dark paradise.  In some ways the plants were not so different from the flora of earth, but Lilith knew each and every one along with their supernatural properties.  One particular flower, called the Agana, was blood red and could be a powerful intoxicant to celestials and demons while being instant death to humans.  When the petals were dried and crushed into powder then it could be inhaled giving the user a powerful high with no hangover or risk of addiction.  This was a particular favorite of Lucifer’s and Lilith often prepared it as a gift for him. 

Another path at the bottom of the well led into a labyrinth of rooms as palatial and luxurious as any Lucifer had.  The first was a kind of throne room where a visitor could have their audience with Lilith and the rest were reserved for her private use and very few were allowed to enter those.  These chambers  while dark, seemed to come straight from the ancient palaces of Babylon and were filled with carved reliefs, painted columns, mosaics and frescos all depicting stories and myths about the demoness and her many children.  Occasionally there was even the image of Lucifer with Lili.  One such mosaic was in her bedroom and showed the two of them meeting at the water’s edge in Eden.  A gift from her daughter Karawan, it became her favorite piece out of all of them. 

The last path was for the truly unfortunate.  It lay directly in front of the staircase and led into pitch black darkness and a sudden drop into an oubliette filled nothing but the bones and decay of past victims.  In this pit no one could hear you scream for help or cry out in pain and each soul was simply forgotten about.

Lucifer had come to this place quite a few times over the centuries when he had been seeking solace from his painful thoughts and needed a distraction.  While there was never anywhere in Hell that felt like home to the devil, he did find a measure of peace whenever he came to Lili’s realm.  In particular, he loved to visit with her in her bedroom where large clusters of sapphire crystals hung throughout the ceiling bathing the room in a soft blue glow.  It was here that he could recall that Lilith kept her bisque doll, carefully locked in a cabinet next to a bundle of love letters from Pope Alexander VI. 

“I’ve never understood why you wanted that doll.  You were never one to be sentimental about such things like that,” the devil mused.   

“What can I say, I’m complicated.  I have many layers like a Pillsbury Grands Biscuit,” she responded.  Looking down at the pretty hand painted face, she smiled.  “Inara fell in love with this doll when she was barely big enough to hold it.  She calls her Amora and . . .”

“You . . . you gave this doll to Inara?”

“Yes, of course.” This seemed a strange question.  Why wouldn’t she give such a treasure to her daughter? 

Lucifer just stared at her a moment in silence before walking out into the hall so he could calm down.  Perhaps to Lilith it _was_ just a doll, but not to him.  He gave it to her because he wanted to thank her for helping him get his ring back.  He had wanted to make her happy.  It was not meant to be a plaything for Michael’s little pup.  He stood there in the passage taking a few much needed deep breaths and yet he was also wishing his perfect asshole of a twin would show himself so he punch him in his holier than thou face. 

Lilith couldn’t understand why this was so upsetting to Lucifer.  Why wouldn’t she give her doll to Inara?  That child was made up of everything that was good from both her parents and Lucifer should be proud of that.  The devil did not enjoy children and Lili fully expected that he would want to distance himself from Inara, but getting upset over a doll made less sense then his comments about Michael not fulfilling his obligations.  She didn’t know from one minute to the next if he would be his normal affable self, or suddenly get upset over nothing.  She could only surmise that he was still trying to emotionally process everything from her betrayal of his trust to the ramifications of this child.  Lili wrapped her arms around the doll, hugging it close then quietly reminded herself that she just needed to give him time. 

Are you ready to go?” Lucifer asked as he came back into the room.  Lilith nodded and together they left Carolands Chateau, locking the place up tight behind them.

It was hard to believe that they had been at this for so many hours.  It wasn’t even really night anymore.  The sun was already peeking above the horizon the devil and demoness began their drive to Los Angeles.  Businesses were just beginning to open up and people were getting in their cars and heading to work.  After two hours of driving the fatigue was starting to wear on both the devil and demoness.  It didn’t help that the bulk of the drive was down highway I-5 where there was little see but distant grey hills, grey pavement and the occasional patch of agriculture.      

The sun continued to rise casting its rays wherever it could reach.  Even in the abandoned church near Lake Arrowhead it managed to snake its way through cracks and missing boards throwing as much of its light as possible in the forgotten space.  Misran was sound asleep in his bed roll while Inara sat drawing pictures in the dust and dirt that covered the floor.  Across the room from her sat Mazikeen sipping a can of coconut water and glaring at the girl.

Why was Lilith so interested in this mortal child?  Her mother never cared about her own offspring so why was she wasting time on a human one?  Why didn’t the demon bitch show up so they could finally have it out and put an end to their long festering wounds?  Mazikeen hadn’t always hated her mother.  There had been a time when all she had wanted from Lilith was her attention and love, but the Queen of the Lilim gave neither.  In general the Lilim were obedient and loyal to their mother and had no need for nurturing or mothering of any kind, but Maze was different.  Maze didn’t understand that Lili’s emotions and feeling had been severed, so to speak, when she was transformed into a demon.  Nor did she see that feelings of any kind were at best a liability in Hell and at worse a self-imposed torture.  It was an act of self-preservation that was necessary in order to keep her sanity.

All Mazikeen saw was that her mother showed some sense of caring when it came to eldest brother Velius and she wanted that too.  She tried to gain Lilith’s attention and affections by showing her just how loyal and devoted she was to her mother.  She even attempted to protect both Lili and her youngest brother Ahriman from the angel Uriel’s fury, but nothing changed.  The last time she tried to prove herself she was still a teenager and working alongside her brothers and sisters to build the angel Ibriel’s great dream of a Silver City. 

For ages the angel imagined this spectacular shining city, fit for the Presence and the heavenly host, but could not make his vision a reality.  The other celestials had no interest in building such a place or even hearing about it.  Long after their affair had ended, Lilith was the only one willing to listen and it was she that offered her children as laborers.  Ibriel gladly accepted, and found himself quite amazed at the level of artistry the Lilim had been gifted with.  When the work was nearly complete, however, things took a dark turn when the angel informed Lilith that despite her help, neither she, nor her children, would be permitted to step foot within the Silver City.  It wasn’t so much Ibriel’s choice, but pressure brought upon him by the rest of the host.  This place was meant for the glory of the Presence and his celestial children, and not a place for the original whore and her demon spawn. 

Maze had heard the angel Gabriel order Ibriel to banish the Lilim and their Queen and saw an opportunity to defend her mother’s honor as well as all of her brothers and sisters.  She, along with the angel’s half-demon son Briadach, lured the seraphim into one of the unfinished chambers where they dropped one of the enormous stone building blocks on top of him.  This managed to shake him long enough for Mazikeen to come up behind him and pierce him in the heart with her dagger.  Suddenly they heard the flutter of celestial wings and looking up Maze could see Amenadiel leading the other angels towards them.  Grabbing Briadach, the two took off without any idea of where they were going, but both were certain that their mother would come for them and protect them. 

As time passed, Briadach lost hope and wandered off on his own, but Maze continued to believe that Lilith would find her and tell her that everything was going to be okay, but she never came.  Eventually that hope turned to hate and instead wishing for her mother’s arms, she felt abandoned and despised by her family.  Consumed with anger, she vowed with each passing day that she would make Lilith pay for discarding her. 

Years went by and Lucifer found Mazikeen and offered her his friendship and acceptance without requiring anything in return.  He brought her back to the center of Hell and welcomed her into the fold without punishment or repercussions of any kind for her crime.  By this time Maze had grown into a strong young woman, quickly proving herself and moving through the ranks to become Hells greatest torturer.  Eventually Lucifer’s taste for pleasure soon turned her way and she eagerly embraced him as a lover.  When Lilith caught the two of them dallying by the shores of the River Styx, her anger burned hot.  Maze saw that moment as the beginning of her revenge.  Even after all this time she could still remember just how certain she had been of her success.  That brief moment of happiness as she sat alone in Lucifer’s throne room picturing her mother being crushed beneath her heel.   

At the time the Lord of Hell was off on one of his little adventures on earth and the great throne room was silent and empty without the devil there to hold court.  The numerous tall standing candelabras were all still lit and the room was bathed in its natural hellish blue light.  Along one stone wall hung two brightly colored tapestries depicting the fall of the rebel angels on one and the fall of man on the other.  Hating the images and the constant reminder of his failed rebellion, Lucifer had sliced through both, leaving the woven cloth hanging so that they could not be viewed.  Across the way were large heavy metal doors that led into a corridor and Lucifer’s private rooms.  No one dared enter these spaces without good reason or an invitation from the devil himself.

The floor of the throne room was made up of two different levels and was cut from the same hexagon shaped basalt that lined all the walkways of Hell.  The smooth surface fit together like tile and several smooth steps were carved from the rock and led up to a platform where Lucifer’s throne stood overlooking the space.  This seat was an imposing creation all on its own.  Unlike his tower throne, the entire thing was carved from the black wood of the underworld and was many times stronger than anything on earth.  Its four legs were carved into large animal claws and supported a seat padded comfortably in thick purple velvet.  The arms were fashioned into horned dragons smiling eerily out at the room.   The tall back was etched with intricate patterns on either side that extended into stylized horns.  Crowning it all was a final dragons head with its mouth and sharp teeth open and roaring at those brave enough to stand before it. 

The most elegant part of Lucifer’s throne was a part that went largely overlooked.  The back panel in-between the carved designs featured a painting.  Hand rendered, it was a relatively simple scene showing a woman seated on a grassy hillside.  The female in the painting possessed a delicate heart-shaped face with eyes of fine blue/green and skin of ivory.  She had long blond hair that fell over her shoulders with added lines of gold leaf to highlight it.  The woman’s soft pink lips were shown in a tender smile and her eyes looked lovingly down at a dragon with its head in her lap and its body curled around hers.  That any artwork so finely detailed and carefully crafted could be overlooked was a wonder.

Even Mazikeen, sitting across the throne with her legs curled around one arm and her back against the other, never really saw the painting.  Her dark eyes were looking off into the distance, lost in the thought over her hopes and ambitions.  She had already come a long way from an abandoned fugitive to Hell’s greatest torturer.  Now she had her sights set on other goals and positions of power and authority.  When the devil returned she would take her rightful place within his harem and it would be _her_ that stood to the right of his throne.  What a glorious a day that was going to be.

“Dreaming again, Mazikeen,” said a voice.  Afraid that she had been caught where she wasn’t supposed to be, Maze sat up and looked towards the entryway.  Relief swept through her as she realized it was Asmodeus.  She would know that stark white demonic face with its black tribal lines anywhere and while he might not actually be her father, he was the closest thing she had ever had to one.  She was really descended from a momentary affair between Lilith and the serpent demon Ophur, but he showed no interest in his daughter and eventually it was the dark prince that noticed her natural skill and ability and honed her into the greatest torturer Hell had ever seen.

“Maybe,” she smiled, laying back against the arm once more. 

“How far do you imagine your star will rise?”

“I don’t have to imagine,” she cooed.  “When Lucifer returns I’m going to take my place in his harem and then squeeze my mother out until I’m the one standing at his side.  Let her find out what it’s like to have everyone abandon you and leave you to the nothingness like she did to me,” she smiled proudly and began to twirl one of her daggers on her hand.

“You think it will happen then?”

“Why shouldn’t it?” Maze asked.  “All of this,” she gestured to her curvaceous body.  “Every night in every available spot in Hell.  I think he likes what he’s getting.”

“I think you should be careful and never underestimate your mother,” Asmodeus answered, approaching his step-daughter.  “Has the Morningstar promised you this position?  Has he given you his word at all?”

“No . . . but . . .”

“Then you have nothing except your dreams and ambitions,” The demon prince placed his hand on her shoulder then looked up at the snarling dragons head at the top of the throne.  “I’ve told you, girl, to _always_ get his word.  The devil will never lie, but he will use every trick and loop hole to get what he wants without consequences . . .”

“. . . and don’t make deals with him.”

“Ahh, so my Mazikeen does listen.”

“Always,” she snapped, shrugging his hand from her shoulder.  She looked up into the white heat of his eyes and then back down at her dagger.  “I’m also not blind.”

“Oh and what is it that you claim to see?”

“I see a creature ate up with his own hatred for Lucifer,” Maze answered smartly.  “So much so that he can’t see straight.  I’m not going to let your poison ruin this for me.” 

She was right, but it was hardly a secret.  Asmodeus couldn’t stand the devil.  As far as he was concerned that bastard angel had no business in the demonic world, let alone being set as their ruler.  What did he know of punishment and torture?  He was a celestial, born of heaven and holy things and the underworld called for someone far darker.  Of the seven princes, he was the strongest, the most powerful and so by all rights the throne should have been his.  That he should have to show allegiance to Lucifer was insulting and at times impossible to stomach.  

“I suppose you are loyal to the Lightbringer.  Maybe you even possess affection for him and are foolish enough to believe he has some for you,” Asmodeus laughed.  He had always held out hope that Mazikeen would be smarter than that, but he was beginning to see that he was mistaken.

“Why shouldn’t I be loyal?  When I was on my own, abandoned by my mother and a fugitive, did you ever once look for me?  No, none of my so-called family ever did.  Lucifer found me and accepted me exactly as I was without judgement.  He gave me friendship without conditions.”

“Has he led you through those doors, yet?” the dark prince pointed to the entrance that led to the devil’s private rooms.  Maze shook her head.  “Then you have sold yourself as a cheap distraction and nothing more.  You’re a play thing that he will pick-up when there is no better toys around.”   

“I suppose you are an expert when it comes to that,” she snapped back.  The demon’s white eyes looked down at her sharply, but Maze paid no attention.  “I mean, isn’t that the role my mother gave you?” 

“Watch your tongue girl,” he warned in a low growl.

“I’ve heard you refer to her as your queen and yet I can’t recall ever seeing her stand at your side within these walls . . . or anywhere else,” It was Mazikeen’s natural response to spew venom and try to hurt whomever it was causing her pain.  A trait she shared with Lilith, but unlike her mother she never considered who the target was or the consequences.  “In fact, I’ve always heard that the only reason mom fucked you was because she was in heat and Lucifer was wisely distancing himself.  Funny, if Uriel hadn’t damaged her, she’d probably still have some use for you.”

For a moment Asmodeus raised his hand to strike her, only to stop himself.  She was only repeating the rumors they had both heard whispered throughout Hell.  The demon prince preferred to believe that Lilith had desired him because of his strength and superiority.  Of the seven brothers he held the most power and surely she had noticed and chosen him because the combination of their bloodlines would produce a formidable race.  Unfortunately the truth was less flattering. 

Lilith’s ability to procreate was legendary and jokes were often made that she could conceive from simply brushing up against someone of the opposite sex.  She had born several children including Mazikeen with various demons before taking Asmodeus as a lover and making him a more regular consort.  What had caused that change was simple.  Although Lilith could give the outward appearance of femininity and womanhood, she was still at her core a demon, untamed and at times animalistic. She was also very much a breed all her own and as such, it came as a complete surprise to everyone, including herself, when her demon began to go into heat.  When it happened her only thought was to satisfy her needing and she would use all of her skill and cunning to get what she craved.  Fortunately these occurrences were not frequent and a century often passed in between.  When they did Lucifer was quick to make himself unavailable, but Asmodeus, the prince of lust himself, was only too happy to sate her hunger while fulfilling his own desires as well.

Siring the Lilim increased his standing and elevated his power and authority, particularly when the legions were made available to the Lord of Hell, but the demon was never satisfied.  He wanted Lilith to be completely his and no one else’s.  When Uriel had inadvertently destroyed her ability to have children, so too did it cause a change in their relationship.  The demoness became more estranged and seldom noticed or spoke to him.  Asmodeus wanted her to return to his side . . .  to feel her soft arms around him for no other reason than because she wanted of feel him close.  The dark prince wished to have her come to him and listen to the dark torments of his heart and soothe him as she did Lucifer.  He longed to see her stand at his side, to give him those looks of affection.  He wanted to rule the Lilim with her, together as king and Queen.   

“Mark my word, Mazikeen, one day your vicious tongue will be your undoing.” 

We’ll see,” Maze smiled, satisfied that her words had stuck a blow.  “We both know that the only way you will ever get my mother to truly be yours is to unseat the Morningstar and claim his throne as yours,”  At this suggestion, Asmodeus looked at his step-daughter in silent contemplation.  “Or figure out a way to drive a wedge between them big enough to keep them apart forever.”          

“There is no wedge that big,” Asmodeus sniffed. 

“Someday . . ,” Mazikeen took her knife and flicked a couple golden flakes off the hair of the woman in the painting on the throne.  “Someday someone is going to come along and you will see everything change.”

“It won’t be you,” he sneered.

“You don’t know that.”

“Ah, but I think I do.”

Maze’s reminiscing was suddenly interrupted as she realized the little girl was talking to her.  She had no idea what human spawn had been saying and rather than have her repeat it, the demoness got up and went over to Misran.  She gave him a sharp kick in the lower back then growled that he needed to wake up and take care of Inara.  The demon awoke with a yell of pain then swiftly caught his little sister by the ankle and jerked it up so she landed on her rear end.  The little girl was both surprised and amused by the scene before her and giggled.  This was hardly unusual behavior for children of Lilith.  More often than not they showed their affection for one another with small acts of violence such as a jab, punch or kick in the butt. 

“What do you need?” Misran asked sitting up and turning his attention to the child. 

“Nothing.  I was just telling Maze that I was sorry that momma hurt her.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Mazikeen spat.  “You have no idea just how evil Lilith really is.”  She snatched up her coconut water and started towards the door.  Taking out her own copy of the key to the padlock and opened the door, flooding the room with bright morning sunlight.  The demoness squinted in the light and snarled up at the sun.  Hearing the twitter of a bird she stooped and picked up a rock then tossed it at the creature to silence it.  “I’m going to get some breakfast . . . and coffee.”     

“Do you want our orders?” Misran asked.

“You’ll eat what I bring you.” Maze snarled then took off on her bike.  With a sigh, the demon turned to the child and patted her head kindly.

“Word to the wise, don’t ever talk about our mother to Maze.  It has a tendency to put her in a very foul mood.”

Mazikeen was still mumbling to herself about the rampant infestation of human children as she turned down the road towards Lake Arrowhead and The Belgian Waffle Works restaurant.  She hated being around that little urchin and was determined not to set eyes on her again until she had eaten a stack of waffles, drank a pot of coffee and bought the biggest bottle of bourbon she could find.  _Hurry up and come get your brat, Lilith_ , she thought to herself.

If she could have, then the Queen of the Lilim most certainly would have come right there and taken her back home in an instant.  Instead, she and Lucifer were still on the road and both were tired from the drive.  Nothing looked better than finally getting off the freeway and into the City of Los Angeles.  Instead of canyons or hills made of earth, they were now surrounded by towering monoliths of metal and glass that had been formed by the hands of man.  Pulling up to Lux, Lucifer tossed his keys to the valet then told him to bring the luggage up.  Rather than wait, Lilith grabbed her own bags and followed the devil into the elevator. 

As the lift moved upward, the demoness realized for the first time just how tired she was.  Her mind had been so fixed on her missing daughter that she had not realized the toll it was taking on her.  Lucifer was wanting a nap too, as well as a clean change of clothes.  As soon as the doors opened he headed straight for the bathroom to freshen up while Lili set her suitcase down along with the china doll and went over to the bar.   Opening her carryon bag she took out the picture of Inara and looked at it.  Lilith never pretended that she was a good mother, but with this little girl she was trying so hard to be.  Softly, she once more promised her child that she would find her and bring her home then set the picture on the bar.  Kicking off her shoes she sat down on one of the stools then began to look over the bottles of booze.  When the devil was done then she would clean up, but for now it felt good to just relax for a few minutes. 

Lilith was pouring herself a drink when Lucifer came back out dressed in only his black boxers and a matching black satin robe looking for his luggage.  Not seeing his trunks anywhere, he went over to the bar and began to light up a cigarette while going on about the difficulties of finding good, reliable help.  Lili just smiled up at her old friend, grateful that he was helping her through all of this.  She finished her drink then taking the cigarette from the devil’s lips, she rose up on her tiptoes kissed him.

“Annnd what was that for?” he asked, his arm slipping around her waist. 

“For being you . . . and caring.”  She gave him another quick kiss then put the cigarette back between his lips and picked up her own suitcase before going off to take a shower.  Lucifer inhaled deeply then exhaled, releasing the cigarette smoke through his nostrils.  He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had thanked him for just being himself, or for anything else. 

The devil’s thoughts were interrupted as the elevator doors opened and the valet stepped in with all his trunks.  Looking at the luggage, it now seemed silly that he had ever packed so much, but at the time he hadn’t planned on being home so soon.  Going over to his safe he took out a couple of large bills and handed them to the young man as a tip.  The valet thanked him repeatedly then quickly got back into the elevator, leaving Lucifer alone.  Needing a drink, he went over to the bar and taking up a glass, poured himself a generous amount of Blanton’s then took a quick drink.  The flavors of oak and citrus mixed with a hint of other flavors and spices played on his tongue. 

He set the glass down and started to put the bottle away when he accidentally bumped the picture of Inara knocking it off the counter to the floor.  Instantly the glass shattered scattering pieces all over.  Lucifer quickly set his cigarette in an ashtray then got down and picked up the photo still in its broken frame.  Carefully he took it out to make sure that it was okay.  A new frame was easy enough to replace but Lilith would never forgive him if the image was damaged.  Sliding the back off, he tilted the frame just enough that the contents fell out into his hand.  To his relief the picture was safe.  He was about to return the photo to its place when he noticed something.  

Hidden just behind Inara’s image was half of a tarot card, specifically ‘the lovers’.  He stared at it a moment, then ran over to his bookcase where he pulled out an original 1782 signed copy of _Les Liaisons Dangeruses._ Just inside the cover, Lucifer took out a portion of a tarot card that also showed the lovers.  Carefully setting the book down, he took the two pieces and put them together matching them perfectly.  Once the card was whole he could once again read the phrase ‘follow me and seek your desires’.  Lucifer couldn’t breathe for a moment.  All this time, Lilith had been the masked woman that Halloween night.  She had tricked him.  What else didn’t he know?


	8. The Wounds We Give Each Other

“I finally got a hold of Velius and he says he’s on his way to Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires.  He’s should be here in about twelve hours if all goes well,” Lilith said as she stepped back into the room dressed and refreshed from her shower and pulling her suitcase behind her.  “Of course there was giggling in the background so it may take long . . .” She suddenly stopped mid-word as she noticed the broken glass on the floor and Inara’s picture missing from the bar.  Her emerald eyes quickly scanned the room only to sigh in relief as she saw the picture laying on Lucifer’s coffee table next to _Les Liaisons Dangeruses_.  She turned to ask what had happened, but stopped as her gaze fell upon the cold countenance of the devil. 

The fallen angel was seated stoically on the couch and to anyone not familiar with him he appeared calm, but Lilith could see that he was anything but tranquil.  She knew his body language better than anyone and whenever his jaw was set that tense and his eyes stared at her like fiery daggers, it could only mean one thing: the devil was pissed.  His posture was deceptively calm and in one hand he held his drink while the other lay on the arm of the couch, his fingers digging into the leather.  He raised the glass to his lips, steeling himself for the conversation that was about to begin, then set it on the coffee table.  Lili wasn’t certain what had caused this mood change, but she could see the storm brewing.  The only question now was whether it was going to be a mild storm with a little thunder and lightni6ng or a full on hurricane. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, but instead of answering her, Lucifer leaned forward and slid the book from one side of the coffee table to the other, exposing the tarot card beneath it.

“ _Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed_.” The devil’s voice was calm with only a slight waver as he spoke the last word in Alexander Pope’s quote.  “It was you that Halloween night.”

“Yes,” she affirmed softly.  There was no point in denying it and besides, Lilith didn’t believe in lying anyway. 

“That’s all you have to say?”

“What would you like me to tell you?”

“THE TRUTH!” Lucifer snapped, rising to his feet and walking towards her, his eyes red and on fire.  “You lied to me!  You seduced me!”

“I never lied to you nor did I seduce you.  You were in full control of your faculties that night.  I offered you no drugs, nor were you intoxicated.  You were free to go at any time that Halloween night but you _chose_ to stay,” she pointed out, but she knew she couldn’t deny her guilt in the matter.

“I _thought_ that I was simply enjoying the hospitality of a woman who was trying to get out and do something wild and crazy on a night when she could anonymous . . . but you . . .”

“I wasn’t in my right mind that night.”

“How could you not have been in your right mind, you had the whole place decorated, scented air . . . jasmine, amber . . . lotus blossoms . . .” The devil’s eyes grew wide as he realized the symbolism of those fragrances and flower image.   “The girl . . .” he started to say, his heart stopping.  “She was never Michael’s . . . was she?”

“She’s yours.” Two small words, but hearing them filled Lucifer with a rage so deep that for a moment there was no hiding his devil form.  Lilith never flinched nor did she tremble as other demons did at the sight.  She would never fear her closest friend and ultimately, she had all of this coming to her and probably more for what she had done.  Whatever the cost, she would pay it, she had no one blame except herself.  Truth be told, if he wanted to put her head on a pike, she would have knelt down and given it to him.  As it was, the fallen angel felt like reaching out and choking her for her duplicity.  _No one used him_.  NO ONE!  What was saving the demoness from a thousand tortures was the devil’s self-control and desire not to do anything that he might regret.  Instead, Lucifer snatched up his glass from the table and went to his bar for strong drink.  Lilith watched him, uncertain of how to mend the wound she had caused.  “I’m sorry . . . by the time I realized that I was in heat, it was too late.  All I could think about was my needing.”

“Please leave,” Lucifer said, using all of his supernatural strength to keep his temper and remain calm.

“I was so ashamed of what I had done that after she was born I made sure that nothing like that could ever happen again,” Lili explained, unfastening her jeans and lifting her white lace shirt, exposing the large hideous scar that ran almost from one hip to the other.  Lucifer turned his head ever so slightly to glance at the disfigurement, but remained unmoved as he turned his gaze back to the glass in his hand.

“I said leave!” he snapped.  “We’re through.”  Lilith straightened her clothes and took up her suitcase.  This was the reaction she had been expecting.  She wanted so badly to change that night and keep it from happening, but she loved the child that came from it.  A small part of her hoped that in time he might forgive her, but there was no forgiving such a deep betrayal.  She knew he was right to hate her and she would not fight him on that. 

“Yes we are,” she agreed then stepped into the elevator and silently watched Lucifer until the door closed.

As soon as she was out of sight, Lucifer took the glass in his hand and threw it against the wall as hard as he could with a growl.  How could she had lied to him and tricked him?  _Him_?  He trusted her and she deceived him, how could he forgive that?  When he learned of Velius he had been angry and hurt, but ultimately he had understood why she not told him.  This time there was no such covenant in place, no reason at all for her to remain silent and yet she had.  How could he ever trust her again? 

He walked back over to the couch and noticed the picture of Inara still sitting on the coffee table.  _Shining light_ , he thought to himself.  That’s what her name meant so why hadn’t he guessed the truth when he heard it.  The devil looked down at the photograph of the girl with her long dark curls blowing in the ocean breeze and her deep dark eyes staring at the camera.  The idea that this child was really his filled him with fear.  He had no idea how to be a parent and no real desire to try.  When his son, Velius, had come into his life there was no need to worry about that sort of thing because he was adult, fully grown.  They could easily bond over shots of bourbon while visiting any number of strip clubs.  You really can’t do those sorts of things with a girl, not an eight-year-old anyway. 

It wasn’t that Lucifer had never been around kids, he had been around Trixie since she was the same age as Inara, but it was different.  He didn’t have a parental role in Trixie’s life nor did he spend that much time with her.  When they were together Chloe was always around and made an excellent buffer between him and the little human.  At any rate, being half demon and half angel meant that this little nestling of his was likely to be far more complicated than Trixie ever was.  Perhaps right now the best thing would be an emergency session with Dr. Linda.  Surely she could offer some advice since she had a Nephilim of her own.  There was also a good chance that she had once been an eight-year-old girl. 

Perhaps he should have been more concerned that the child was still missing, but Lucifer had great faith in Det. Decker and Ella Lopez and felt confident that they would have a lead for him anytime now.  Of course no session with Linda was going to happen until he finally put on some clothes.  Since his trunks were here, then so was his favorite Burberry.  He had yet to notice that one of his suits was missing which was probably for the best since his royal blue Armani was starting to look rough and ragged as Misran wiped the dirt from the pant legs.  His human stomach was growling and Maze still hadn’t come back.  He tossed the jacket over a nearby pew then sat back down on the ground next to Inara.  They had been playing tic-tac-toe for hours and both of them were dying of boredom.   

The child got up and dusted off her knees then walked a few steps towards the altar and stretched.  As she did her wings came out and opened as fully as they could.  Misran stared transfixed at the sight.  Every feather was pure white, but along the edges, framing them, were flames so hot that they burned white.  The demon couldn’t speak and just sat there in awe of their amazing beauty.  Done stretching, the child folded her wings back in and yawned.  She turned around to see Misran staring at her, his mouth wide open.   _She’s half angel_ , he thought to himself.  _Dear God, what had he gotten himself into_?   

“Are you absolutely certain you have no idea who your father is?” he asked, trying to hide his fear.  She shook her head sadly.

“Can you keep a secret?” she probed, walking over to him.     

“Sure I can.”

“I think I saw his picture once, but I’m not really sure.”  Taking up a stick from the ground she began to draw a face in the dust as best she could.  “It was in a scrapbook mama had out and there was an old newspaper clipping that showed a bunch of people celebrating.  The headline said ‘Lindbergh Lands in Paris’, whatever that means.  In the picture mama was standing next to a very tall man with dark wavy hair and dark eyes.  I don’t know who it was and the caption didn’t say, but his eyes looked just like mine so it made me wonder.”

She finished her drawing and despite the fact that it was drawn in dirt, it was actually quite good.  Misran stared at the etching and for a moment he couldn’t breathe.  He knew that face all too well.  It was the devil, Lucifer Morningstar, the Lightbringer himself.  He had stood before him in the throne room far too many times to forget that image.  This . . . was _not_ good.  He would need to get this done before the King of Hell knew what was going on and decided to get involved.

At that moment the door to the abandoned church swung open with a loud creak, causing Misran to hastily erase Inara’s picture.  Softly he ordered the child to keep her wings hidden.  Mazikeen walked by them tossing a bag of McDonald’s dollar hamburgers at them then continued on to where her bed roll lay.  She set another sack on her sleeping bag that had a fresh six pack of coconut water and a variety of snacks from beef jerky to Hostess Ding Dongs and potato chips.  She gave her brother and the urchin a sharp look and reminded then that the goodies were hers and she had them counted. 

“What about drinks Mazie?  Are we supposed to go thirsty while you slurp up froufrou water?” Misran asked, handing Inara a burger.

“Fine, they’re in the car,” she answered with an eye roll, then went back out and brought in a case of ginger ale and set it on one of the pews.  “I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything from our darling mother?”

“Of course not.  How could I?” the demon explained in between bites of hamburger.

“The day after tomorrow I have to go to a birthday party for Charlie.  If Lilith doesn’t show herself before I get back then we’re going to drop the brat off at the first available spot and end this, understand?”

“Why don’t you like me?” Inara asked, looking up at Maze.

“Because you are nothing but Lilith’s latest play thing that she will quickly tire of and throw aside just as she does with _everything,_ except herself,” Mazikeen growled.

“That’s not true!  My mother loves me.  We watch movies together while eating popcorn and have picnics on the beach.  Just because you’re full of anger and hate doesn’t mean you can spew it on her or me!” the child shouted at her big sister.  Mazikeen started to walk towards the girl, livid that any child would talk to her in such a manner.  Afraid that Inara might show her power or that Maze would hurt the girl, Misran wisely stepped in between them. 

“Enough!” he shouted then turned to his sister.  “She’s just a kid, Maze.  What are you going to do, defend your honor by beating up an eight-year-old girl?” The demoness stared at her brother, hardly ready to ignore the child’s insolence.  “Let it go.  I’ll take care of her.  Why don’t you go take a walk and cool off for a while.”  Maze glared at the girl then left the old church to try and calm her tempter.

“You shouldn’t have shouted at her like that,” Misran reprimanded, as soon as Mazikeen was gone.  Realizing what needed to be done, he dropped his shoulders in resignation then went over to where the demoness had left the drinks.  Inara was just as angry as Maze and stomped off towards the altar, mumbling to herself about mean big sisters.  Misran removed the cap from one of the bottles then reaching into his pocket he took out the special sedative and opened it.  Carefully he poured its contents into the drink then slipped the vial back into his pocket.  Walking over to the child, he patted her head then kindly offered her the bottle of ginger ale.  “Have a drink and calm down.”

“If all my brothers and sisters are like her then I don’t want to meet them.  I want to go back home.  Please take me home.” Inara pleaded, taking the bottle from him.  The salt from the hamburger and the old dry and dusty air of the church had made her thirsty and she immediately started drinking the cold beverage as fast as she could.              

“I’m afraid I can’t really do that,” the demon answered.  “You see . . . you’re a part of something much bigger so, I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here.”

“No!” she shouted.  “I don’t want to stay.  I want to go home!”  Misran didn’t say anything just shook his head as he sat down in a pew, unmoved by her protestations.  “Fine I’ll runaway then.  You can’t make me stay in this place!”

Inara took a couple of steps then stopped as the room started to spin and she began to feel weird.  She looked at her brother and could hear him saying something about her drink, but his voice seemed far away and indistinct.  She looked down at the drink and realized that her brother had put something in it.  Terrified of what was happening to her, tears started to form in her eyes and cried out for her mother.  She tried to move towards the door, but her legs were too unsteady and she collapsed.  She knew she had to get away and find help, but it was too hard to move.  Over and over she cried and begged for her mother, but even as it echoed through the abandoned church no one could hear her.  Large tears ran down her face and she wished so badly that she had never left The Carolands Chateau.  She longed for her mother’s arms and thought back to the last time they were together running through the gardens laughing.  The images of happier times danced before Inara’s eyes as she faded into a deep sleep.  Misran walked over to her and knelt down and sighed.

“I also can’t risk you using your powers or running away so you’re just going to have to sleep until all of this gets sorted out.”  He picked up her limp body and carried her over to her bed roll then set the child in it.  In a moment of pity he took the sleeve of his over-sized shirt and gently wiped away the remaining tears from her face before zipping up the bag.  He then turned her so that she would look as though she had simply gone to bed. 

All he needed to do now was summon Asmodeus, but since Maze was still around he would have to wait until the day after tomorrow when she went to that birthday party.  As for right now, he had no idea how long his sister would be out calming her temper, but knowing her it would be quite a while.  If she asked then he would simply say the girl was worn out from all the traveling and gone to bed.  It was easy and not entirely a lie.  Misran looked at the girl with her eyes closed in a gentle dream.  She seemed so peaceful and angelic.  Looks could be deceiving though.  Lucifer was also an angel, but behind his charm and handsome face, he had another appearance and it was not so angelic.

The Lord of Hell’s devilish form, with bat wings, red flesh and glowing crimson eyes were well known in the underworld and woe to those who angered him enough to see it.  It ushered in any number or tortures from which no soul could remain sane.     The devil loathed that side of himself and while showing a flash of his evil face to killers and other criminals might be fun, it was when those he cared about saw it that it bothered him.  Linda had taken the sight of his dark side better than anyone.  It took a few days of locking herself away from the world, but eventually, with the help of Maze, she came to terms.  That alone had gone a long way towards improving their therapy sessions since she could see that he was not speaking in metaphors.

Right now Lucifer had plenty to talk to Linda about and wasted no time scheduling an impromptu appointment.   Thank Dad almighty that another patient had canceled.  The devil managed to get down to doctor’s office with minutes to spare, but walking through the door he suddenly found himself speechless.  He didn’t know where to begin.  His therapy had always centered on his developing human emotions and his relationship with Chloe.  This time it involved neither.  There were times during his sessions when he had brought up other people, such as Mum, Uriel and of course Lilith, but it was rare.  In fact when it came to the demoness he tended to be extremely closed mouthed and much preferred to keep that part of his life private.  Since first coming to see Dr. Martin, he could easily count the number of times he had discussed Lili on one hand with fingers left over. 

Sitting on Linda’s couch, the devil quickly assured the doctor that the sudden need for a session had nothing to do with Chloe and that the two of them were going to talk and try to work things out.  After that he started talking about nothing in particular, such as the weather, upcoming liquor license renewal and finally asking about Charlie.  While she was pleased that he would ask about his nephew, children weren’t usually subjects the devil gravitated towards.  Dr. Martin was more than a little familiar with Lucifers tricks of distraction rather than tackling an issue head on and this had all the earmarks of it.  Whatever it was, it was bothering him bad enough that he asked for this appointment, but she would have to initiate if she wanted to make him open up.  Usually when he acted this distant or found it difficult to talk, it almost always involved one of two people: Lilith or Velius. 

“Speaking of sons, how is yours doing?  I haven’t heard you mention him in a few weeks,” Linda commented, carefully testing the waters to see which direction she should go.

“Good.  He’s good.  Last I heard he was in Argentina, but he’s coming back to LA . . . briefly . . . for a visit.”

“Well that will be nice.  Hopefully you two will be able to catch up on things,” the doctor remarked.  “Will he be going to see his mom in Hawaii?”   

“I doubt it, since she’s in LA at the moment, but I suppose he’ll see her.  She’s rather like a bad penny that keeps turning up.” The devil tightened his jaw at the thought of Lilith and his eyes narrowed.  Seeing this change in his demeanor only confirmed to Linda that the problem had to do with the demoness. 

“So how is Lilith, anyway?” The doctor queried watching his face and body language closely.  “At our last session you mentioned that you were taking some time away from Chloe to do some thinking.  You also mentioned that when you spoke to your son over the phone that he said she had left Hell and you were going to see her in Hawaii.” 

“I did,” he affirmed, “But . . .”

“But?”

“Well, things started off good, but . . . something was off.  I wasn’t sure what it was at the time, but now I do.  It seems that rather than finding a trusted old friend . . .” The devils eyes never changed from their dark color, but they were still ablaze in hurt and anger.  “I discovered that I had been lied to and used.  I mean, she of all people should know better than anyone how I would feel about . . .” Lucifer stopped there.  He had said the girl’s name before, but now he couldn’t do it, nor could he find the words to say that she was his.  If he actually said it out loud then it would become real and he was afraid of that.  In his mind the child was like an unknown road that was dark, confusing and possibly dangerous and he wasn’t sure it was a good idea to follow it.  His current path of alcohol, sex and drugs was familiar, cozy and he knew what to expect.  “Well I guess she did know how I’d feel and that’s why she kept it from me.”

“Kept what?” Linda asked, her curiosity piqued.  When Chloe had first seen his face and nearly betrayed him, the devil had been deeply hurt, but he had been willing to talk and work through it.  This time he was holding back and she couldn’t help him if he did that. 

Rather than answer her question, Lucifer reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and took out the two halves of the ‘lovers’ tarot card and tossed it on the coffee table.  Dr. Martin’s eyes grew wide as she looked down at image of a merman and mermaid with their tails entwined and surrounded by a red heart and columns.  She remembered Lucifer telling her about his Halloween one night stand with a mysterious masked woman and his bemusement over the whole thing.  Now he wasn’t laughing or even remotely amused.

“So Lilith was the . . .”

“Yes,” Lucifer answered interrupting Linda before she could completely the thought.  He looked out the window and thought about that night.  The vision of a woman standing at the top of the stairs at Lux wearing a mask and watching him.  The playful fun of following her into the abandoned building and finding a bower decorated just for their tryst.  At the time it had seemed like nothing more than innocent fun, a lark, a sexy distraction with a stranger with no strings, no baggage and pure anonymity.  It never was though.  “She tricked me.” His voice was sharp as he spoke.  “She lied to me and deceived me into following her.”

“Originally you told me that the woman never spoke, are you saying Lilith pretended to be someone else?”

“Yes . . . no.” The devil sighed in frustration.  “She never said a word, but she let me believe that she was still in Hell and that the woman I was with was a stranger.”  

“So . . . you feel betrayed because she didn’t tell you she had escaped Hell and led you into something that was nothing but a farce.”

“It’s much more than that . . . it’s . . . _why_ she did it.  A night of role-playing and sex I would have overlooked, but _this_. . . no.”   

“This?”

“Yes.” he answered.  Dr. Martin still wasn’t certain what Lili had done and Lucifer was starting to get a bit frustrated about it.  “All of it was a sham, a plot so she could get something from me,” he clarified.  “Something she knew I would never give her if I had known she was in that state.”

“And what state is that?”

“In heat.”

“What?” Dr. Martin asked a bit stunned.  She had been expecting to hear something like ‘trying to break up him and Chloe’ or even blackmail.  This was not what she was expecting.

“She was in heat, she wanted to play ‘catch the oyster’ in hopes of a pearl.  She coaxed me into a game of bob-cherry so she could be seeded.  She went looking for . . .”

“Okay . . . I got it,” Linda assured him, putting up her hands slightly in a show of surrender.  Even after ten years she still had no real understanding about the demonic and celestial, despite having mothered a Nephilim.  This was definitely the first time she had ever heard of a demon going into heat and it boggled the mind.  The very idea brought up so many questions and for a moment her train of thought began to jump the track.  “Is that normal for demons?  I mean, I know that Lilith’s mythology has shown her to be extremely prolific when it comes to fertility, but I’ve never noticed anything like that out of Maze.  Does it happen every 28 days or so, like a human cycle, or is it more like the Vulcan idea of pon farr?”

“No and no.  When my father transformed her, he basically made her a class of demon all her own and then conveniently forgot to send me a bloody owner’s manual so I could figure her out.  It ceased to be an issue after my brother damaged and sterilized her in a fit of anger.”

“Then how could she have gone back into heat?” the doctor asked, confused.

“Well it seems that while she was dallying with Michael, he lost a stray piece of down and she accidentally swallowed it and was healed,” he explained.  The devil was not in the mood for one of Linda’s side track discussions on the inter-workings of the demon and celestial world.  “Now focus doctor.” 

Realizing that she was indeed getting sidetracked, Linda immediately got back to what they were supposed to talking about.  Taking a breath, she was about to ask him more about the Halloween encounter when she suddenly realized what Lucifer was trying (or not trying) to say.  For a moment the fallen angel was certain he could see a light bulb illuminating over her head at the realization.  Shocked, the doctor dropped her pen and her mouth dropped open.

“That Halloween night . . . did Lilith get . . . pregnant?”

Lucifer didn’t answer.  He didn’t have to.  Linda could already guess the rest just by the distant pained look in his gaze and the way he sat there, slowly running his hands over the fabric of the couch cushions.  Linda uttered a low drawn out ‘wow’.  All of his anger and hurt suddenly made sense.  The devil abhorred being manipulated, tricked and or used in any fashion so what the demoness had done was unforgivable.  How could he ever trust her again?  The doctor leaned down and picked up the pen she had dropped and began to write down some quick notes before turning her attention back to Lucifer.      

“And . . . she didn’t care at all that she was using you?” This was the most surprising part to Dr. Martin.  From what she had observed, Lucifer and Lilith had a very close relationship built on countless ages of friendship, trust and affection.  This just didn’t seem like her.

“I suppose she didn’t.  Like other mindless beasts, she reverts mostly to instinct with just enough of her natural self to make her truly cunning.”

“I can understand why you’re so angry with her.”

“Yes!” he agreed.  Finally, for once they were in agreement regarding his feelings.

“It’s a huge breach of trust.”

“Exactly!”

“Broken trust _can_ heal in time, but it’s never quite the same.  I don’t know if your relationship with Lilith can ever be fixed, but it not just about you and her anymore.”  Linda explained.  “How do you feel about this new life?”

“I don’t know,” the devil answered.  “I don’t understand children and I never have . . . nor do I want to.  The filthy little creatures can’t eat without getting food all over their face and hands as well as the table.  I mean, how hard is it to use a bloody napkin?  They can’t do a damn thing for themselves.  Until her offspring managed to get a driver’s license, the detective was constantly having to taxi her around.  Also, they’re walking little paradoxes.  For example: they don’t help pay bills, yet they make most of them.  They also have this . . . innocence . . .” Lucifer folded his hands and set them in his lap thoughtfully.  “It’s something that I can’t begin to wrap my head around and I’ll probably never understand.” 

“Has Lili asked for your help or expected you to be a part of . . .?”

“No.” Lucifer answered, cutting her off.  “She hasn’t asked me for anything . . . not even forgiveness.”

“What do you want to do?”

At this question the fallen angel found himself speechless.  He had no answer and until this moment he hadn’t even really considered it.  He was hardly father material, but at least he recognized this fact in himself whereas he staunchly believed his own father had been blind to it.  Just the very thought of a child made the devil shrink away.  Linda was hardly surprised by his reaction.  When Charlie was born Lucifer had held him less than a minute.  He came and saw the boy from time to time, but it was obvious that being around a kid was not a comfortable situation for the fallen angel.   

“Kids don’t come with instruction books, especially the celestial kind” _This_ was something Linda had first-hand experience in.  Every day with Charlie was both a blessing and a new lesson in patience while traversing a road no one else had travelled.  “Whatever happens, I think you need to take some time and think things through _very_ carefully.  Weigh all the pros and cons.  You have a very complicated and unhappy relationship with your own father and it has understandably clouded you view of that role.  I think you’re afraid that you’ll make the same mistakes that you blame _Him_ for.  Here’s the thing though, there is nothing that says you’ll be like him.  You have the power to choose your own path.”  Lucifer stared at Linda wide-eyed, taking in everything that she was saying.  “The question now is, which path are you going to choose?”

She was right of course.  There was a lot to think about and consider.  He had no idea what he should do and the devil didn’t feel any better about anything.  When exactly did his life get so complicated?  Was it when Delilah got murdered and Chloe first stepped into his life?  Possibly.  That was the moment when he started to change and think beyond himself.  It could also be the moment that he pulled back that blanket on his couch and found Lilith had returned to earth and re-entered his life.  That was when he found himself torn between two women and the two halves of himself.  Whichever moment it was, he wanted to know when things were going to get easier again. 


	9. The Thing that Doesn't Let You Sleep

After the long drive home, Chloe and Ella managed to catch a few hours sleep before heading to the precinct and sorting through all the information they had gleaned from the Carolands.   They were able to trace the license plate of the car back to a rental agency and after a phone call they discovered that the name on the paper work was none other than Mazikeen Smith.  This had made both ladies wince as they both recalled Lucifer’s insistence that Maze would never hurt a child. 

The only other clues they had were the fingerprints they had pulled from the dining room window, but those just created more unanswered questions.  For starters, the prints belonged to an actor named, Aeron Darnell.  It seemed that before he had managed to get steady acting work he had been picked up for petty theft and ended up in their system.  He served his sentence and since then his record had been clean.  More puzzling was that a number of drivers had reported that his car had overturned on the freeway.  One of the witnesses, a registered nurse, swore that she had examined the young man and there had been no pulse.  Others claimed that Aeron had gotten out of his car, but seemed confused before walking away from the scene. 

The more Chloe thought about this strangeness, the more suspicious she became.  The dead don’t come back to life unless possessed by a demon.  Surely _they_ weren’t trying to escape again.  She had to be overthinking this.  It’s highly possible that the nurse was just mistaken and the young man was never really dead.  As for the car, it had been impounded and no one had come forward to claim it yet.  It seemed to the seasoned detective that it would be a shame to not take a look and see what answers it held.  Since two sets of eyes are better than one and Ella’s expertise was in collecting and analyzing evidence, Chloe stopped by her friend’s lab and asked her to join her.  The ever happy forensic pathologist jumped at the chance and two drove over the impound yard. 

When they got to the yard, they were led directly to Aeron Darnell’s car.  The sedan’s front end was mangled, the roof was collapsed and all the windows were smashed to pieces.  Det. Deck peered into the driver’s side and could see blood all over the interior of the vehicle.  Ella came over with her kit and began to examine the car.  Her first observation was that at some point the driver’s seat belt had failed.  She could only guess that it happened while the car was rolling, allowing his body to hit against everything inside the vehicle, undoubtedly causing multiple injuries.  What Ella found most concerning was the blood splatter on the steering wheel, dashboard and windshield.  Judging by the amount of sanguine fluid present there had to have been significant head trauma to the driver and it was hard to believe that anyone could have just walked away from that.  Of course, without a body to examine she could only speculate.      

The two ladies went back to their own car still talking about all the information they had found.  Once inside, Chloe confided to Ella her suspicion that Aeron’s body might have been possessed by a demon.  Saying this to anyone else the detective knew she would have been laughed at, but not her best friend.  The forensic scientist’s eyes grew wide and her face became deathly serious.  She hadn’t been there during the Dromos campaign to put Charlie on the throne, but just the thought of demons taking over human bodies was enough to scare her.  It brought to mind images from _Night of the Living Dead_ and she was wondering if she needed to start collecting weapons.  Chloe assured her that it didn’t work like that and Lucifer would be able to handle it just as he did before. 

With the mention of the devil, Chloe immediately became somber and her face grew long.  Her shoulders sank and she sighed heavily as an awkward silence filled the car.  Ella wanted to do or say something to make her friend feel better, but everything she thought of sounded feeble.  She wanted to see things work like they do in the movies where there’s rain coming down and the two run into each other’s arms.  Well maybe they couldn’t leap into each other’s embrace while romantic music played, but perhaps there were other options.

“You know, if you want to get Lucifer alone, I can always distract Lilith.”

“Oh?” Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow.  “How are you going to do that?”

“I can come up with something.  Maybe convince her to go out for drinks or clubbing.  In the meantime you put on something sexy and remind him of what he is missing.”  Ella nudged, giving the detective a knowing look.  “Show him where his real family is.”

“Do you really think you can get Lilith to go out clubbing with you?  Her daughter is missing and she’s pretty distraught over it and hardly in the mood for a night of partying.  I know I wouldn’t be.”

“Trust me, I’m very persuasive,” Ella beamed confidently at her friend.

“I’ll agree with that, otherwise I really was that desperate when I started dating Pierce.” Chloe shot the forensic scientist a teasing look.

“Uuuugghh, what is the expiration date on that mistake?”

“There is none, I plan on bringing it up for a long time.”

The detective wasn’t certain if Ella could pull off such a distraction, but it didn’t stop the ideas from swirling in her brain about what she could do to win Lucifer back.  At first she thought about an evening of Netflix and Chill with popcorn and a warm quilt, not that they would be paying attention to what was playing as they snuggled up together.  She then considered a game night, with lollipops and Monopoly, or Sorry . . . or even the Game of Life.  Perhaps the lollipops and games could be a kind of dessert after a nice intimate dinner.  Whatever she decided to do she wanted to make sure that before the night was over, Lucifer was nibbling at more than dinner and candy.   Yes, Ella’s idea was brilliant and Chloe felt confident that so long as the queen of demons was out of the way, she could get Lucifer’s attention again. 

Really, she didn’t need to worry about Lilith.  The demoness was wandering alone through the remains of the old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park, contemplating what to do and where she should go.  In a brown paper sack she carried a half drunk bottle of bourbon and periodically drank from it.  She stopped half way down the long row of deserted small animal cages and sighed.  She glanced at her phone for the millionth time then furrowed her brow in frustration.  No calls from Chloe or Ella saying if they had found any information.  If she could just find her daughter than she could go home to Hawaii and leave all this misery behind. 

Her hand gripped the cold metal bars as she stared into the empty cage, her thoughts and feelings growing dark and melancholy.  God how she hated herself for what she had done to Lucifer.  It was unforgiveable and she deserved every punishment that Hell could offer, but Inara didn’t, so why was she being penalized?  Her fingers moved down the cold metal and she wondered what animals had once resided in these enclosures.  Bears?  Lions?  The pens were too small for such creatures.  It really didn’t matter anyway and she sighed as realized she was no different than the beasts that once lived in these confines.  She was a demon and it was in her blood to be wild and untamed so why wasn’t she in a cage, she deserved to be.  She was nothing more than a savage animal hurting those around her.  Small wonder she was alone and cast aside. 

Lilith wasn’t really as alone as she believed herself to be.  Eyes were watching her in the glowing flames that emanated from the heavenly fountain of fire.  Michael’s heart was aching as he witnessed her self-loathing give way to hopelessness and deep depression.  She was trying to numb and mask it all with large quantities of alcohol, but it was there in her eyes all the same.  Perhaps she _had_ brought all off this on herself, but Michael was far more worried about how badly Lili wanted to be punished and how far she would go to accomplish it.  What would her self-destruction do to Inara and Velius?  She was broken and desperately needed someone to help her, yet the demoness was too stubborn to reach out and ask for it. 

Adding to Michael’s distress was knowing that he had the power to help her and yet was not free to do so.  He wanted to help her.  Michael was one of the few people that Lilith would listen to, but he had no way of reaching her.  Where his twin brother, Lucifer, had his freedom to come and go as he pleased, Michael was bound to his Father’s side.  An eternity of servitude where he was constantly at the beck and call of the Presence.  Not to say that he had never managed to sneak away, but it was for minutes only.  He looked down at the bracers and greaves that covered his wrists, forearms and shins then sighed.  They were made of strong celestial gold and etched in elaborate spiraling designs inlaid with feathers that were sharp and easily used as a weapon.  During those all too brief moments when he had been allowed to go to earth the bonds had been invisible, but he felt them just the same.  To his other siblings, the bracers were a beautiful symbol of his position as the head of God’s army.  He saw them as shackles, for as long as they were on his body he was a slave.          

There had to be a way to break free. He searched his mind, hoping to recall a celestial weapon with enough power to cut through the bindings he wore.  If the flaming sword were still in the Silver City then he could use that, but its whereabouts were unknown.  There had to be something else.  Plenty of his siblings had been given special weapons of one kind or another.  There was one in particular that would probably do the trick, if he could get it away from his brother Zadkiel.   

The Archangel of freedom, benevolence and mercy, Zadkiel had the distinction of being the angel that had stayed Abrahams hand and kept him from sacrificing Isaac.  He kept the knife that the patriarch had used and God imbued it with great power that was said to cut any chains no matter how strong granting freedom.  This would be the daggers greatest test, but first he had to obtain it.  His brother was not likely to just hand it over.  Zadkiel was extremely meticulous about the care and order of his things.  One might even argue that he was the patron angel of being OCD.  Fortunately this could also be a good thing since his brother was highly unlikely to step even a big toe out of his daily routine.

Zadkiel was truly a celestial monk down to his very core.  His face was round with a naturally tan complexion, although this might also be from many hours spent working in his garden.  His dark eyes were narrow and his hair perpetually looked as though he had just run his fingers through it.  He didn’t wear fine robes like the rest of his siblings, but instead preferred to dress in the simple basic attire of brown linen pants and a plain work shirt.  It was ample enough for him and while the rest of the host adorned themselves with jewelry or baubles of some kind to mark their station, he didn’t, except for a brown leather belt and the sheath that held the dagger of Abraham.  

Also singling him out from his brothers and sisters was the way in which Zadkiel spent his time.  He was not an angel given to frivolity or idle pursuits of any kind.  Even as a child he never joined in games, sports, make-believe or even story time.  He followed a strict routine and never deviated.  He always began the day in prayer for at least an hour.  After that he would tend the gardens of the Silver City as well as the heavenly orchards.  When that was done he would go for prayer and meditation for another hour then Zadkiel would attend to the animals that lived in paradise.  He ended his day by choosing a scroll from the great library and studying either the prophecies or the teachings that his Father had handed down.     

Watching his brother go from one monotonous task to another, Michael was almost ready to kill himself out of pure boredom.  He really had never noticed just how many gardens existed in the Silver City until then.  The angel was about to give up when he saw Zadkiel approach the chapel and remove his belt and knife.  Carefully he set it on the bench next to the door then slipped inside for his prayer and meditation.  Michael waited a few moments to be certain that his brother wasn’t coming back right away then went over and snatched the blade from its sheath and took off. 

The angel quickly found a quiet place among pillars that were once cut to be added to the glory of the Silver city.  With the death of Ibriel, the Lilim, which had worked so hard to build such a grand dream, ceased their labor and took up arms, ready to defend their sister against the Host.  Now the columns lay silently waiting for the loving skill of a craftsman to come and bring out their majesty.  This, it seemed, was unlikely to happen since no one ever came to this heavenly quarry.  It was the reason why the angel had chosen this place to try and break his chains.  He was confident that none of his siblings would venture this far from the city. 

Michael looked at the knife in his hand.  The carved ram’s antler hilt had been cool to the touch when he first picked it up, but it warm in his hand now.  Leather bands were wound tightly around the blade and handle holding all together.  The knife itself was had been cut from a piece of flint and showed every mark from where the stone had been hammered out by another hard rock.  When Zadkiel had taken the knife From Abraham, and God had filled it with celestial power, it had changed from its normal grey/black color to a shining iridescent purple/grey.  Just holding it in his hand, Michael could feel the power that emanated from it. 

Turning his left hand over, he looked at the holy bonds that held the bracer together and kept it from leaving his arms.  Carefully he placed the sharp edge just underneath he ties, but before he could slice through them a gust of wind enveloped him lifting Michael into the sky and causing him to drop the dagger to ground below. He felt his strength begin to wane and his body ached as it grew thin and wizen.  He wheezed with every breath and felt the bracers and greaves tighten painfully around his forearms and calves. 

“Father!” he cried out.  “I ask you . . . _I beg of you_ . . . release me!”  There was no answer except the howling of the wind as it swirled past his ears.  “I need to go to her _please_!  _Someone_ has to help her!  You created Lilith from the dust like Adam and with your breath you gave her life, how can you now see her suffering and still turn your back?”  The angel put a hand to his mouth and began coughing hard.    When he managed to catch his breath again he looked and could see droplets of blood on his fingers and palm.  It would be so easy to give in just as he had so many times before, but Michael thought of that look on Lilith’s face and the depth of hopelessness in her eyes.  “She is not the woman she was, Father.  Since the birth of Inara, _your grand-daughter_ , she has tried so hard to be a good mum and . . . and be better than she was.  Can’t you see she’s sinking in her own self-loathing and doubt?  Without someone to help her . . . someone who loves her . . . she _will_ drown.    Let me go to her and she will continue to grow into the woman you always hoped she would be.”  The wind swirling around Michael grew tighter and he could no longer catch his breath.  He was confident that the Presence could hear his every thought without the words being spoken.  _You gave the devil himself a path to forgiveness and redemption, can you not offer her the same_?   The angel bowed his head and closed his eyes as the world around him went dark.  His arms went limp at his sides as he resigned himself to the inevitable.  _If loving her must cost me my life then so be it.  Just save Lilith._

The wind that had engulfed him suddenly died and his frail body was set gently onto the ground.  He never stirred as he lay among the silent forgotten monoliths.  The great warrior and leader of God’s holy army seemed more like a rag doll, lifeless and feeble.  His eyes never fluttered, nor did he see anything but the darkness that comes with dreamless sleep.    Perhaps it was best that he did not dream since the world was already filled to the brim with such fancies, particularly in LA where per capita they had more than their fair share.  There were dreams of wealth, power, and privilege, mixed with dreams of a career, family and love.  For some it was the most basic dreams of just four walls, a hot meal and a roof over their head.  The devil’s own son had no such imaginings as his plane flew over California.  The only thing he was fantasizing about was a hot steaming shower and a stiff drink.

It was half-way passed eleven when Velius’ plane touched down at LAX.  He took a cab directly to Lux and forgoing the club, he went straight to the penthouse.  To his surprise no one was about.  He called out for his parents but no one answered.  He looked around but found himself completely alone.  He assumed they were probably out looking for his baby sister and decided it would be best if he waited here for them to return.   In the meantime the Nephilim decided to avail himself of his father’s shower and clean up.   

The sound of water pouring from the rain dance shower head and six body sprays quickly drowned out every other sound in the penthouse.  He didn’t even hear the elevator open or hear someone calling out for Lucifer.  Trixie had driven to the devil’s home hoping to apologize.  She felt terrible about the fight between her mother and the fallen angel and firmly believed it was all her fault because her friend and snuck over alcohol.  What she wanted to do was somehow fix the problem so her mom would be happy again and also because she loved having Lucifer around

“Lucifer!” Trixie called out, looking around the penthouse.  “Hello?”

She never really understood why Chloe and Lucifer seemed destined to fight so much.  There was never any doubt in her mind that they loved each other deeply, yet somehow they always ended up at odds and usually over something completely trivial.  Trixie was certain that if she had the opportunity to have someone like Lucifer in her life she would never waste it.  Of course, no one ever seemed to be like him, although she had done a little more than her fair share of sampling.  The detective never seemed to like any of boys she brought home.  Well, there was one boy she liked that Trixie had dated seriously named Costin.  Chloe had adored him.  It had been during Trixie’s junior year in high school.  He was a senior, came from a ‘good’ family and had already been accepted into Stanford.  Hearing her daughter complain about the lack of chemistry between them, the detective told her daughter that such things didn’t matter and that she should be glad to have someone that was stable, dependable and would be able to give her a good happy life.

Trixie understood why those things were important, but she wanted more.  She wanted someone who was exciting, fun and could make her laugh.  She wanted passion and to feel those sparks when they were together.  Costin generated nothing in her but boredom.  He would try to be funny but his jokes always fell flat.  He had no idea how to be spontaneous.  He even planned out every detail of his wardrobe a week in advance.  Despite all this she continued see him because her mom insisted that she should really try to make things work before she threw him away and realized what a mistake it was.    

The two finally broke up when Trixie came home one night to find Maze riding him like he was a wild stallion that needed to be broke.  Without words the two knew the relationship was over and she hadn’t really talked to Mazikeen since then either.  Truth be told, she hadn’t really been that sorry to see her relationship with either of them end.  With the demoness, she found she had simply outgrown her.  All the antics and perceived bad-ass behavior that amused her when she was a kid, seemed to change into childish, spoiled brat manners more appropriate from a five-year-old.  As for her decision to end the affair between her and Costin, that had been a whole other argument between her mother and Lucifer.  He was glad the blaggard was gone, but Chloe insisted that it was all Maze’s doing and the boy should be given another chance.  Yet another reason why Trixie believed she was the cause of their problems.

“Lucifer!” she called out again. 

“Lucifer’s not here,” said a voice.  Trixie jumped and turned around.  Standing in the doorway to Lucifer’s dressing room stood a man she had never seen before wearing one of devil’s robes and drying his hair with a towel.  He had similar features to the devil, but his hair wasn’t quite as dark, nor did he have the devils eyes.  “Is there something I can help you with . . . take a message perhaps?” he smiled as he tossed the towel into the bathroom.  Turning back to Trixie, she was struck by the way his mischievous grin echoed the devils.    

“Uh, no, I just was hoping to talk to him.”

“Talk?  To Lucifer?” the gentleman laughed.  “That’s not usually how the devil entertains beautiful women.”

“Yeah, I know, but we’re not like that, he’s . . . he’s more like a step-father to me,” Trixie answered, twirling her long dark hair with her fingers.  “Wait, did you just say I was beautiful?” His smile grew a bit broader and his deep green eyes sparkled with Mischief.  “Wow, that’s quite a compliment coming from a guy who looks . . . well, as good as you do, or was that your standard pick-up line?”

“I don’t need pick-up lines.  Women . . . women just seem to have a certain reaction to me.”

“Oh my God, you remind me of Lucifer,” she said with a laugh.  His weird mix of charm and arrogance was not the only thing that reminded her of the devil.  This man also possessed some of the fallen angel’s mannerisms.    “So . . . um . . . exactly how do you know him?” 

“I’m his son,” he responded, watching as her mouth dropped.  Trixie had overheard conversations between the devil and her mother that mentioned Lucifer having a child, but she never figured she would meet him.  Hearing her mother talk, she had always pictured some whining, crying, spoiled kid straight out of the _South Park_ television show.  Somehow she had never expected him to be a full grown man with the face and body of a God and possessing a warm and charming personality.

“You’re . . . his son?”

“Velius Morningstar,” he introduced himself, then shook hands with her.  “How exactly do _you_ know the devil?”

“Oh, I’m Trixie . . .  er, Beatrice Espinoza, Det. Chloe Decker’s daughter.  Everyone calls me Trixie.”

“You’re Trixie?” he responded with a laugh then went over to the devil’s bar and poured himself a drink.  “I have heard many stories about you.”

“Good ones I hope.”

“No, but that’s why I enjoyed them so much,” he answered, taking a drink of his father’s best bourbon. 

“I don’t suppose you’d pour me a drink?” she asked, cozying up to him and giving the Nephilim her best puppy dog eyes.  No one had ever been able to resist that look.

“Are you a day over seventeen?”

“I’m eighteen.” she corrected, surprised and annoyed that her puppy dog eyes hadn’t worked. 

“That would still make you under twenty-one, right?  I mean, my Grandfather hasn’t altered the sequence of numbers, has he?”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a dick?” Trixie asked snidely, walking over and seating herself on Lucifer’s piano bench.

“Yes, actually.  Well, it more like ‘you have an amazing dick’,” he answered smugly.

“You are definitely like your father.”

“Seems to me that you have a bit of your old man in you too,” Velius pointed out before taking another drink.

“Excuse me?”

“You know, the one my father calls ‘Det. Douche’, the corrupt cop that doesn’t like to follow the rules and handles things his own way.” He finished his drink, then began to pour another as his eyes took in everything about the girl seated before him.

Lucifer had shared numerous stories regarding Trixie and they were almost always about how she had managed to cut an artful deal with the devil or managed to outsmart her parents and teachers.  She was clever with an eye for detail and a photographic memory that could put the best detectives to shame. Until now, he had always imagined her to still be the cute, bright-eyed eight-year-old girl that appeared in a photo on Lucifer’s phone.  The Trixie before him was certainly _not_ a child.  She was a beautiful, darker version of her mother with perfect curves, long dark brown hair and brilliant black eyes that shone with playfulness.    

“There’s nothing wrong with cutting your own path and wanting to be your own person,” she pointed out.  Trixie never liked hearing her dad referred to as a corrupt cop, but she knew that it was true.  It was better to think that he simply chose to break the rules for the greater good.  It still wasn’t true, but it sounded a lot better.

“No there isn’t, but of course both of my parents fell from grace for such radical thinking.”

“Oh, and who is your mother?”

“Lilith.”   

“Oh, well, that explains everything,” she expressed, as though the last piece of a puzzle had come together. 

“What exactly does that explain?”

“Desire obviously runs through your veins on both sides.” she smiled, her eyes looking him over.  Even in a bathrobe she could tell he was well built.  Maybe he wasn’t as tall as his father, but he was certainly a fine specimen and she couldn’t help wondering if he was as good as claimed to be.

“Actually, yes and no.  My mother was human when she had me so she didn’t have her desire schtick yet, but don’t worry, I got plenty from dear old dad.” Velius playfully flicked his eyebrows at her as he took a sip from his glass.

“Oh really,” Trixie responded, her curiosity piqued.  “Show me.”

“What?”

“Come on, work your mojo on me,” she insisted, getting up and walking back over to him.  “I’ve seen Lucifer do it to people before and I’ve always wondered what it was like.”  Velius shook his head, thinking that nothing good could come from tapping into her hidden desires, but Trixie was not a young woman to take no for an answer.  “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“Fine, if it will make you stop begging.”  The Nephilim locked eyes with her and stared deeply into her dark gaze until he was certain he had her in his grasp.  “Tell me, what is it that you truly desire?”

“I . . . I . . .” she began as a smile curled Velius’ lips.  He was waiting to hear her admit to lusting after various men such as a teacher or teenage rebellions that she dreamed of getting away with or had actually pulled off.  Rather than admitting her dark desires, Trixie burst out laughing. “Is that it?”  The Nephilim could only stare at her in confusion.  This had never happened to him before.  He stepped back from the young woman, uncertain of how this could be possible.

“Strange.  What are you, some kind of freak?”

“No,” Trixie answered, still laughing.  “Mom was always immune to your dad’s mojo and I guess I am too.”

“Doesn’t mean you’re not still a freak,” he teasingly pointed out, taking a drink from his glass.

A sudden thought went through Trixie’s head and she wondered if, like his father, he had wings.  Velius wasn’t a full blooded angel so it was possible that he didn’t.  Charlie was a Nephilim and he didn’t possess avian appendages.  She had seen Lucifer’s before, in fact, once he took her for a short flight.  It had taken her the better part of a week to talk him into it, but she got her way.  He really didn’t take her very far.  He picked her up in his arms and flew three or four laps around the penthouse, but it was still fun.  Curious to know about the wings, Trixie put her arms around him as though she were attempting to hug him and started trying to feel his back through the fabric.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to figure out if you have wings,” she answered.

“I do.” Velius answered, but made no attempt to get out of her embrace.  The human woman felt good against him.  It was as though holding her were the most natural thing in the world.  It was though she belonged there.    

The two stood there for several minutes in silence, the air around them charged and heated.  Trixie finally stepped back and went over to Lucifer’s grand piano and plinked a couple of the keys.  She must have heard the devil play this instrument a million times growing up as well as heard him sing.  The first time was her thirteen birthday.  Chloe had spent weeks cajoling Lucifer into letting her give a surprise birthday party for Trixie at Lux.  The thought of a gaggle of thirteen year-old girls running around his club making a mess of the place with cake, ice cream and soda made him cringe.  It ended up being one of the shrewdest deals he had ever made and Chloe owed him big for a long time.  The big surprise came after the cake and presents were opened.  Lucifer sat down at his piano and started playing and singing _What a Wonderful World_.  It was her favorite memory from that party.

“Do you also sing and play the piano?” she asked, hopeful that he did.

“No,” he answered, then seeing the look of disappointment on her face he quickly amended the statement.  “But I have met a few famous dancers in Hell and had the opportunity to take lessons.  I can even out do my old man.”  Trixie stared at him skeptically.  Velius went over and grabbed the remote control from the coffee table and turned on the devil’s stereo system.  He searched the stations for a good song until he came across one that was perfect, Josh Groban’s ‘ _My Confession_ ’.  Before she could say anything or object, Trixie was swept up into an impromptu dance and had no idea what to do except follow and hope she didn’t step on his toes.

He was graceful and light on his feet, moving her effortlessly around the room.  Trixie couldn’t believe what was happening.  She was actually standing in the devil’s penthouse dancing an amazing tango with a Nephilim in a bathrobe.  She must have tripped and bumped into him at least two dozen times, but he remained patient and helped her.  Even stranger, was that she felt more comfortable with this man then she had felt with any guy she had gone on a date with.  For some reason she felt no pressure to be anything but herself and she didn’t want Velius to anyone except himself either.

For his part, the son of the devil couldn’t quite figure out this young human woman.  She was not like anyone he had met before.  Until now, all the ladies he had encountered were simply party girls looking for a night’s pleasure.  Nothing more than that.  There was never any real conversation and it was well understood that they would be parting ways as soon as it was over.  Nothing about Trixie struck him as a one-night-stand kind of girl and she intrigued him a lot.  It wasn’t just that she had an amazing body or incredibly beautiful face.  Trixie had a strong, lively spirit and he felt a connection with her that he had never felt before.

As the music came to an end the Nephilim dipped her then slowly brought her back up, her body against his.  The two stared into each other’s eyes, enjoying the embrace and not wanting to let go.  The world seemed to be in slow motion as their lips met then one kiss quickly turned into many.  Both knew that what they were doing had to be wrong and yet neither could figure out why.  Velius ran his hands down along her slender waist then over the shapely seat of her jeans.  Trixie’s small hands gripped the knot of his robe and started to unfasten it only to have the half breed angel stop her.

“You realize we should not be doing this,” he pointed out.

“Oh I know,” she agreed, hungrily capturing his lips again.  She was hardly innocent, but she had never been one to do such things with a man she had only just met.  Somehow, with this guy, it felt right.  Velius couldn’t explain it either.  Trixie was a force to be reckoned with and it was impossible for him to ignore the chemistry between them.

“Do you swear to my Grand-father that you’re eighteen?” Velius managed to ask, between breaths.

“Oh yeah.  Want to see my license?” Trixie offered, opening the tie of his robe and pulling his bare, toned body against hers.

“Nope.” With that he pulled her t-shirt off over her head and tossed it aside.  “You won’t be needing that.”  Taking her hand in his, he led her up the stairs and to Lucifer’s bed and unceremoniously tossed the robe aside.  With barely a flick of his fingers he had unhooked her bra and threw it to the floor while assuring her that it was completely unnecessary as well.  Trixie laughed and after hastily removing her remaining clothes, gave herself over to every pleasure that was offered. 

As their joined bodies moved in perfect rhythm they both instinctively seemed to know just what the other liked, wanted and needed.  They explored each other, taking in every touch, fragrance and taste.  She arched her back and moaned softly as he filled her again and again.  Velius’ own appetite was on fire and he was afraid of forgetting his own supernatural strength her hurting her in his eagerness. Trixie wrapped her arms around him, holding him and inviting him to go on as he drove into her over and over and she felt herself beginning to crest. When they reached the moment of rapture it was together.  Velius’ wings unfurled themselves like a great white canopy enveloping the two of them as he melted into her.  The woman in his arms emitted small moans of pleasure as she clung to him, enjoying every sensation.  The pair looked at each other, their bodies sensitive and exhausted, yet silently knowing that the pleasures of the night were far from over. 


	10. Those We Want and Those We Never Knew

It wasn’t until the early morning hours that Lucifer returned to his penthouse.  He had spent all night doing what Linda had instructed him to do, weighing the pros and cons, but in the end he had found himself no further than when he had started.  There was a small part of him that wanted to meet the girl, but mostly he was afraid of the idea.  Normally he was confident in his ability to do anything that he set his mind to, but not this.  It was shaky ground that felt far too uncomfortable for him to traverse.  Offspring were great for some people, even angels like Amenadiel, but not him.  The only thing he wanted to play nurse to right now, was a glass of hard liquor. 

Stepping from the lift, Lucifer barely made it a foot inside when he noticed a suitcase followed by a girls t-shirt lying on the floor near the steps to his bedroom.  He also recognized the unmistakable scent of sex in the air.  Only someone with stones the size of exercise balls would sneak into the devil’s home for a game of _‘boppin’ squiddles’_.  The trouble was that the only person he could think of who had that much gall was Mazikeen.  Surely she wouldn’t be brazen enough to show herself right now, not when there were so many questions she needed to answer for.  He still believed that Maze wouldn’t hurt a child, least of all one of his, but he still had doubts.  While he was often amused by her insolence and brazenness, he also had to admit that he would hate to have her nerve in a tooth.      

Still, he was confident it wasn’t Mazikeen since she would have no reason to bring a suitcase for a single night’s romp, and the style of the shirt as hardly in line with how the demoness dressed.  She would never wear anything as normal as a white crop top blouse tied in the front with pretty red flowers on the sleeves, nor did she care for red leather boots with chunky heels.  They actually reminded him of the type of shoe Chloe favored, but she never wore such bright colors.  Strange, it actually seemed odd to think that there was a woman in this penthouse and lying in his bed that wasn’t Chloe.  The detective had been the only one in his life for the past eight years, at least until he left and went to Kauai.  Seeing Lilith had brought back so many emotions and being in her arms had been a curative of sorts, invigorating him and making him feel invincible.  For a moment everything in his world had seemed perfect.   _Oh,_ w _hy did she have to betray him_? 

Hearing blankets rustle, Lucifer went up to his bedroom and nearly tripped over the steps in shock at what he found.  Laying there in his bed, their arms around each other, was Velius and Trixie.  For a brief few seconds the devil couldn’t even speak.  He had expected his Nephilim son to make himself at home and help himself to any food or drink in the place, but the detective’s daughter was not part of the amenities.  He most certainly didn’t want them using his bed!  Seeing his sons eyes open momentarily and look at him, the devil quickly found his tongue again.

“ _Are you wanting the detective to kill me_?!” he shouted, causing Trixie to instantly wake up.    

“Wha -” Velius said, still groggy and rubbing his eyes.  “Why would the detective want to kill you?”

“Maybe because my son is doing the two-person push-up with her virgin daughter.”

“Oh, no, someone else got there before I did,” the Nephilim explained.

“Ahhhh, I don’t want to hear that!” The devil was visibly disgusted at the idea.  To him, Trixie was still that eight-year-old girl waiting outside the principal’s office and thinking of her in any other way was repugnant.  At that moment the young lady in question stirred and sat up, carefully wrapping herself in bed sheets.

“Lucifer, I’m hardly a little girl anymore.”

“As far as I’m concerned, you are still the same urchin who used her childish guile to con people out of chocolate cake or lift the cash from my pockets.  _Now get out of my bed_!”

“Umm . . . could you hand me my shirt?” Trixie asked, coyly pointing to the garment lying a few feet from the devil.

“Uugghh.” Lucifer groaned trying desperately to get _that_ image out of his head.  He was hardly offended by nudity and would gladly strip bare himself if it weren’t for pesky human laws regarding decency.  Despite his broad mind there were still people that he never wanted to see in ‘the altogether’ and Trixie was one of them. 

As the devil went to fetch the t-shirt, Velius used the opportunity to slip out of bed and wrap himself in the robe he had borrowed from his father’s closet the night before.  He then gathered the rest of Trixie’s clothes from around the bed and handed it to her but not without a kiss and a momentary game of tug o’ war over her garments.  The Nephilim was enjoying the young ladies company far too much to want to end it now and besides, he liked her much better without clothes between them. 

“Eecchh, knock it off before I turn the hose on both of you,” the fallen angel rolled his eyes in annoyance as he tossed the shirt at Chloe’s wayward daughter.  His stomach was starting to feel a bit nauseated at the sugary sweet flirtation going on before him.  Velius looked at his devilish father, realizing that for now the fun was over. 

“I’ll let you get dressed,” he said to Trixie then left the bedroom allowing her some privacy. 

The Nephilim went over to the large coffee urn on Lucifer’s bar and poured himself a cup of coffee, then took up his suitcase and went into his father’s massive walk-in closet to put on his own clothes.  The devil just stood there wondering what other insanity was waiting for him.  He didn’t care that Trixie was having sex, it was more a question of _who_ she had chosen.  He was positive that neither Chloe nor Det. Douche would approve.  Yet, if there was anything Lucifer had learned about the detective’s offspring it was that she was head strong and would always choose her own path regardless of her parent’s desires or dreams for her.  In some ways he found this quality admirable, but he still wasn’t going to go against the wishes of Chloe and Dan regardless of his own personal feelings. 

“Sorry Lucifer.  I guess we got carried away,” Trixie said, emerging from Lucifer’s bedroom looking a bit sheepish, but wearing a grin that clearly showed she wasn’t the least bit sorry. The devil was relieved to see that she was finally fully dressed.           

“Pleeease.” The devil returned, not buying the young lady’s compunctious performance.  “You’re not repentant at all.”

“No.” she finally admitted with a slight giggle.  The fallen angel looked at the girl’s face and the way her smile and eyes lit up talking about Velius and sighed.

“You really like that stubborn pain in the ass, don’t you?” He waited for an answer but she didn’t give one.  Instead she smiled leaving Lucifer in no doubt that she did.  He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that.  There was no question in his mind that his son was a man of excellent character when it came to _most_ things.  He also knew that, like his parents, the Nephilim had the same taste for indulging his sexual appetite and partaking in other vices.  He had no idea how Velius felt about relationships and really didn’t want to see Trixie hurt, even unintentionally.  Lucifer wrapped his arms around the young woman and hugged her tight, planting a kiss on her forehead.  She was certainly not the little urchin he had met so many years ago.  “You better hurry home before your mother starts to worry and sends the precinct out looking for you.”

“Okay,” she sighed

Velius came back into the room just as Trixie was heading to the elevator.  He set his empty coffee cup down on the bar and quickly went to stop her.  As the two quickly exchanged phone numbers and made plans to meet again, the devil was watching his son’s face.  He had seen him look at other women before, but this was different.  The Nephilim’s eyes stared at her as though Trixie was the only diamond in a world full of cubic zirconia.  Yes, there was no doubt that he was quite enamored with the detective’s daughter.     The two exchanged kisses until Lucifer loudly cleared his throat to remind them that he was present and the nights festivities were over.  Even so, they continued giving each other sugary looks until the lift doors were closed.  The scene had been so syrupy sweet that Lucifer was starting to feel ill and genuinely hoped that he had never behaved in such a saccharine way with the detective.  Of course, he wasn’t about to ask anyone and find out either. 

Turning his attention towards more pressing and important matters, Velius turned from the elevator and approached the devil.  When he had spoken to his mother, Lilith, on the phone she hadn’t told him anything other than his little sister had been kidnapped.  Now, he fully expected to be briefed on where the search for Inara was and if they had gotten any information about who had taken her.  Upon reaching his father, it was not information that he received, but instead a hard punch to the jaw, surprising the half-breed angel.  For a moment he could only stand there with one hand on his mandible while he flexed it to make sure it wasn’t broken    

“What the Hell was that for?”

“For doodling with the detective’s daughter and _don’t you even think about hurting that girl_!” Lucifer said sharply.  “I have enough problems right now without you adding to it.”

“I have no intentions of hurting her.” Velius interjected.  “In fact, I was thinking about taking her back to Argentina with me, after Inara is found of course.”

“The Hell you are.  Her parents want her to go to college and get a degree.  The detective is encouraging her to study elementary education and become a school teacher.”

“That’s boring, besides she’s far more interested in studying law then she is teaching a bunch of snot-nosed brats.”

“How do you know that?” Lucifer asked, surprised by this revelation.  To his knowledge Trixie had never told anyone about her scholastic interests before.

“We did actually talk when we weren’t having sex.”  His son’s answer only made the devil cringe at the picture it brought to mind.  Somehow he was going to have to get the image of Trixie ‘In flagrante delicto’ out of his head.

“Well, at least it’s a lot more practical than traveling the world like a vagabond with you.” The devil pointed out.

“I don’t know, if you saw some of the hotels I’ve stayed in you wouldn’t call me a vagabond.” At this bit of sarcasm Lucifer grabbed his son by the shirt, his eyes momentarily glowing red.

“ _Do not_ _interfere in her relationship with her parents or attempt to persuade her not to go to school. Are we clear_?  

“And if she decides on her own not to go to college?”

“Then that will be her own decision and between the three of them, not us.  _You stay out of it_.  **_Now, are we clear_**?”

“Yes.” The Nephilim answered, choosing his words carefully.  As far as he was concerned the only thing he had agreed to was that what his father had said was clear, nothing else.

Velius picked up his shoes from where he had dropped them after his arrival the night before then sat down on the piano bench and started to put them on.  Tying the laces he began to realize that Lucifer had yet to mention his mother, Lilith, or anything regarding Inara’s disappearance.  Standing up, he began to realize that there was also no evidence that the demoness had ever been there, despite her mentioning they were at the penthouse during her phone call.  This struck the Nephilim as very strange.  He knew for a fact that his mother would not ignore her daughter being kidnapped.  She would have the entire Lilim search the earth if she could.

“Where’s mum?” Velius asked. 

“I don’t know and I couldn’t care less.”  The devil went over and poured himself a hard drink.  Rules of etiquette might say you shouldn’t drink alcohol before noon, but Lucifer didn’t always concern himself with society’s rules.  Hearing his answer and seeing his father’s sudden desire to drink, Velius had no doubt in his mind that the two stubborn immortals had gotten into it . . . _again_.  He had spent countless centuries watching from the shadows and hidden places of Hell as his parents were either inseparable lovers, or at each other’s throats. There never seemed to be anything in-between.  The only thing that never wavered was their loyalty to one another and their ability to stand as a unit should demons or tortured souls attempt to play one against the other. 

“Do I want to know what happened _this time_?” The Nephilim rubbed his forehead, feeling a faint headache coming on.

“She lied to me . . . she tricked me and . . . and used me!”

“Inara,” Velius commented, knowing exactly what he was referring to.  What else could it be?

“ _Yes,_ ” the devil answered, setting his glass down on the bar with a hard ‘clunk’ in irritation. 

“So, are you abandoning the search then?”

“Of course not, I gave my word, but I couldn’t bear to look at A- . . . your mother”  For a moment, his old habit of calling Lilith by his favorite pet name was on the tip of his tongue, but he stopped himself before the first syllable could escape his lips.  “I ordered her to leave.”

“So you hate her and you’ve banished mum from your life.” Velius echoed, summing things up.

“What do you expect me to do?  She used me to satisfy her own ends and then didn’t even have the guts to stand up and admit what she had done,” the devil snapped.  “If your sister had not been kidnapped, would she have ever told me?  Why should I forgive that?  _How_ can I forgive that?”

“You can keep your forgiveness.  No one is clamoring for it and mum wouldn’t accept it even if you were offering it to her.” the Nephilim responded.  Lucifer looked at him doubtfully.  He and Lilith had argued so many times over the centuries and they always seemed to reconcile.  Right now he was angry with her and had every right to be.  He’d worry about her begging him for forgiveness another time, when he didn’t feel so betrayed.  Velius stared at his father as the fallen angel sat down and began to play the piano in an attempt to distract his thoughts.  He really wasn’t even paying attention to what song was falling from his fingertips, he just wanted music to drown out everything that was going on his life.  His son recognized the song as _No One Would Listen_ by Andrew Lloyd Webber.   It seemed a haunting and strangely appropriate piece of music considering the history of his parents.  Perhaps the fallen angel’s heart was overriding what was on his mind.

Listening to the soft, simple tune, Velius did believe that somewhere deep inside, his father truly believed ‘ _no one but her, heard as the outcast hears’._ Unfortunately, he also had to wonder if it was out of genuine affection or because having her in his life was safe and familiar.  As a boy he had believed the two were a matched pair, two sides of the same coin and of course there was love between them.  Since coming to earth, he had begun to notice things regarding their relationship.  For instance, he marveled at the speed at which his father would run to save his precious detective or how quickly he would forgive any treachery she committed against him.  When it came to his mother, the Nephilim wasn’t even certain the devil really knew anything about her.

“What’s mum’s favorite color?” he asked Lucifer, curious to know if he could answer it.  Lilith could recite the fallen angel’s favorite songs, colors, foods and anything else you wanted to know about him.  If his father could do the same then perhaps there was hope for them after-all.  Lucifer attempted to answer, but found himself only able to stutter and stammer.  He tried to picture the color most featured in her wardrobe, but he really couldn’t visualize anything in her wardrobe.

“Who cares what her favorite color is.  What difference does it make?”

“What’s Chloe Decker’s favorite color?”

“Brown,” The devil answered.  “She’s sees it as a practical color.  Dirt hides a little easier in it and it goes with almost anything . . . so she says.”  

“Do you know what Mum’s favorite food is?” Velius continued.

“Uh . . .” the fallen angel was once again at a loss.  “Piz . . . no . . . um, oh its sautéed mushro . . . no.”  He really was at a loss to answer this question.  Like himself, the demoness partook in everything so how was he supposed to know what her favorite was.  Velius just nodded, hardly surprised.

“What’s Chloe’s favorite food?”

“Well, there’s more than one actually.  Lemon bars are her favorite sweet treat when she’s looking to indulge.  The taste of a grilled cheese sandwich made with Hawaiian toast brings back happy memories of her dad so that of course makes the taste all the better.  There is also . . .”

“That’s what I thought.” The Nephilim commented, interrupting his father.  “You don’t know mum at all do you?  You think you do, but in reality she’s just been a convenience for you, someone for you to vent all your frustrations out on.”

“Not true.” Lucifer growled.  “Her favorite flower is the Black Forest Calla Lily and she loves all music but has a preference for songs of the fifties and sixties.”  The fallen angel stared at his son victoriously certain that this vindicated him from his child’s accusations.

“Which song?”

“What?”

“Mum is partial to one song in particular though.  Do you know what it is?” He waited, but Lucifer couldn’t answer.    “Uh huh.”  He folded his arms across his chest and stared intently at his father a moment.  “What’s Chloe’s?”

“ _Should I Stay or Should I Go_ by the Clash.” The fallen angel answered without hesitation.  “She says it’s a fun song and reminds her of . . . well, our relationship.”

“How many thousands of years was she at your side . . . saving you from yourself more than once.  She even went so far as to risk her own life and sanity by going into your dreams just to make sure you were safe.  Mum, gave you her legions and her loyalty without you ever asking.  She has fought next to you and helped you every time you have asked and rarely did she seek anything in return and you don’t know the first thing about her?”

“That does not justify what she did to me!” Lucifer banged the piano keys hard letting out an angry chime of music.

“You’re right, it doesn’t.  What she did was wrong and there is no excuse for her behavior.” The Nephilim shook his head and taking up his suitcase, started toward the elevator.  “Sadly, it can also be called quid pro quo.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You’re supposed to be omniscient, figure it out.” Velius quiped, stepping into the lift.  “I need to go find mum before something bad happens to Inara . . . or her.” The devil just stared, almost choking on his anger as the door slowly closed. 

The fallen angel couldn’t imagine what his child was getting at and could only assume he was having a bit of fun at him.  After a moment he rose and went back over to the bar, refilling his glass.  Thinking of his son’s last words he growled in frustration and slammed the bottle of booze down on the bar counter as hard as he could smashing it into a million pieces and covering the surface in expensive alcohol.  He couldn’t believe the audacity of his own son to say that he didn’t know Lilith or had in anyway used her.  She was not the victim here so why did everyone seem to believe that the anger he felt at the way Lilith had used him was wrong?  _He wasn’t wrong!_  

For a brief moment Lucifer almost wished he were back in Hell.  Ruling the underworld was far easier than navigating life among humanity.  His whole purpose there had been simple and straightforward.  It was his task to keep the denizens that served him inline while also making sure they performed the tortures assigned to them and nothing more.  Occasionally he was handed a soul that required his personal attention and he handled it without any kind of emotion, but those were a rarity.  The most tedious part of the job was sorting out the arguments and feuds that erupted between individual demons or various demonic factions.  It was mind-numbing and Lucifer could not imagine anyone actually wanting such a position. 

What the devil didn’t know was that there was someone who coveted his position as ruler and wanted it for himself.  Asmodeus stepped into Lucifer’s empty throne room, closing the enormous heavy wooden doors behind him.  With a snap of his fingers he lit the tall elaborate candelabras that stood on either side of the throne.  The demon’s white hot eyes looked over the space, confident that all of it would soon be his.  Why wouldn’t it be?  He had just come from the Dovev Cave and saw the entire interaction between father and son.  Yes, far deep in the pits of Hell, Asmodeus had watched the scene with a dark sadistic smile on his face.  There was nothing that could give him more pleasure than seeing the Lightbringer suffer.

The caverns that the demon visited were ancient, even by Hell’s standards, and formed after a massive section of basalt columns collapsed in on themselves.  Even now they were considered unstable with jagged rocks, switchbacks, sudden drop-offs and a maze of tunnels that were too easy to get lost in.  In the middle was a grotto with a spring of sorts had appeared from one of the fragments of stone, but it didn’t trickle water, but instead a thick silvery substance reminiscent of the chemical mercury.  This strange matter had supernatural properties and when a name was spoken in its presence then the surface would allow you see that person as well as where they were and what they were doing. 

At the time of the caves discovery, word of the pool’s abilities quickly spread and soon demons from all over the underworld were trying to get at it.  Even Lucifer was keenly interested until he began to notice that two or three of the demons who were constantly at the grotto were beginning to fall ill.   They went mad, foamed at the mouth and lost most of the use of their arms and legs.  After that the Lord of Hell ordered the cave sealed and eventually it was forgotten or simply regulated to myth and legend.  Asmodeus never forgot about its existence and still knew the path, although his visits had been rare . . . until recently.

From the moment Misran had taken possession a human’s body, the dark demon had spent countless hours watching everything that was happening from the mystic pool.  Everything was going perfectly.  Emboldened by the visions he had seen, Asmodeus seated himself on Lucifers throne, his long muscular arms stretching out and his hands resting on the dragon heads carved into each arm.  A dark sadistic grin played on his lips as he looked out over the empty space then over to his right where he imagined Lilith standing, eternally beautiful . . . and forever his.  Certain of his power and superiority he beckoned to his shadows that were cast along the floor by the candlelight.  The first one rose up before him and bowed humbly.

“Asmodeus, great ruler, you are superior and more cunning then all the hosts of Heaven!”

“Yes . . . I am,” The demon agreed softly.  The second shadow suddenly pulled free of the stone floor and likewise knelt before the demon prince, ruler of the second level of Hell.

“There is none more powerful or more fearful than you!”

“Yes!” he answered, taking in the adulation.  His third shadow followed the first two and bent himself low before Asmodeus. 

“Only you could break the Morningstar and force him to his knees before you!”

“I will destroy him!” the demon decreed, victoriously.  It was then that his last shadow pulled itself free from its tether, but this one did not prostrate himself before Asmodeus.

“What of the child of prophecy?”

“She will die and so too will the devil’s mongrel son.”  The dark prince began to laugh as he thought of how easily Misran had been led without ever knowing what his demon father’s true intentions were.  Instead, he would soon be released from this dark world and snuff out the only hope offered to those tormenting themselves in Hell.  It would also ensure that the Lilim remained in his control and never given the chance to see the light.  That girl held too much power and he wanted her dead!  Of course, if the Lightbringer and Queen of the Night wished to save their spawn, he could work out a deal.  Hand over the crowns of Hell and of the Lilim and he _might_ spare the girl.  True, since he was not an angel he could not sit on the towering throne that overlooks the underworld, but that was a trivial matter.  As for the half-breed angel . . . Lilith would have to consent to being his mistress and _his alone_ , then perhaps he would consider sparing the bastard’s life. 

Asmodeus once again laughed as he pictured his ultimate victory, certain it was within reach yet unaware that watching him through the keyholes of the heavy wooden doors was Akuma and Yasha.  After being banished back to Hell, they had made it their business to find out what they could to try and make up for their failure.  Watching the scene before them, they were confused.  All they could see was Asmodeus sitting on the throne, seemingly forsaken in the cavernous space talking to no one.  He was alone and yet behaved as though he had an audience before him. 

“Who is he talking to? Yasha asked.

“I have no idea,” Akuma answered with a shrug.

“I think he has been too often to Dovev cave, the madness is beginning to take hold.”     


	11. Let There Be Light

In the crumbling ruins of the church, Misran sat watching Maze as she attempted to wrap a present for Charlie.  He was surprised that his sister hadn’t said anything about Inara sleeping so much.  He could only assume that she didn’t want to deal with the girl and if she was asleep then she didn’t have to.  From where he sat Misran watched as Maze fumbled with some old newspaper filling the bottom part of a dirty old backpack that looked like it had been run over by a car more than once.  Next to it was two packages that were sparkling new and still in their cellophane wrappings.  Curious he went over and looked at the items.  The first was a flat rectangular box that showed a picture of a clear plastic fanny pack and was labeled ‘Sneaky Booze Hidden Flask Pouch’.  The second was a container that was white and had the image of a strange looking object on it.  It appeared to be some kind of flesh covered tube that was a bit wider on one end and showed an open mouth with a tongue and pink lips molded on it. 

“What the hell are you doing?  What is all this stuff?” The demon asked.  Maze quickly snatched the packages away from her brother and set them out of his way.

“Those are birthday gifts for Charlie, not you,” she snapped.

“I was just asking what they were.  I get the booze pouch, I mean, humans are way too uptight when you bring out a regular flask, but what is that other thing?”

“He’s a growing boy, okay?  He needs something besides his hand to pleasure himself with.”

“And . . . his mother doesn’t mind?” Misran raised an eyebrow in surprise.  “I had no idea human mothers were so understanding.”

“They’re not,” The demoness corrected.  “I’ve only known two, but believe me, they can be more obnoxious than our own mother.”  With this she started muttering in a high pitched mocking voice “ _Don’t use vodka to mix up the baby’s formula.  No walking around the house naked. Don’t leave your knives out where children can get them_.  _You have to bathe every day_.  Wusses.  This is why every small human needs a cool auntie Maze.”  The two laughed, then Mazikeen glanced over at Inara, sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag.  “One minute the girl doesn’t shut up and the next she just wants to sleep all day.  Are you sure she’s okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, she’s fine.  What else does she have to do while we wait?” Misran asked, pretending as though it was nothing.  Maze finished putting her presents in the backpack then used wadded up pieces of newspaper as filler before zipping it closed. 

“I have a bounty I need to go pick up, don’t mess with this bag or the presents inside, _got it_?”

“Of course.” 

Mazikeen set the gift bag on her sleeping bag then got up and brushed off the thick dust from the floor that had gotten all over her leather pants.  She once again looked at the child sleeping deeply and a strange pang of concern went through her.  Something just didn’t feel right, but the demoness quickly brushed it off.  She was not this child’s guardian or mother and there was no reason to doubt her brother’s word that everything was fine.  She was just being ridiculous.  Taking a breath she turned back to her brother and narrowed her eyes giving him a cold threatening look.  

“The party is at noon tomorrow.  The clock is ticking so you better make our mother show up.” With that she left the church and her brother sitting alone.

“Oh, I plan on a lot of things happening while you’re at that stupid party,” he muttered.

Misran had no idea if his mother even knew the girl was gone yet and he really didn’t care.  Once Maze was at the party he was going to summon his father, Asmodeus, and then together they would take the girl back with them as ransom for control of the Lilim. He just had to be patient for a little while longer.  He was certain that things would go smoothly so long as it only involved his mother.  If the Lightbringer showed up, then he had no idea what would happen.  That was the true wildcard.    

Fortunately for Misran, Lucifer and Lilith were still unaware of where Inara was.  In fact, the devil wasn’t even sure where the demoness was and really didn’t care at the moment.  His temper was still smoldering from his talk with Velius.  In an attempt to calm down he had poured himself another drink then went over to his piano and sat down.  There were still broken pieces of bottle and spilled bourbon all over one side of the bar and dripping on the floor, but Lucifer was content to let that go for the time being. 

Setting his drink on the lid, he closed his eyes and allowed his fingers to play the first song that came to mind.  Every note of _If I Ever Lose My Faith In You_ seemed to come straight from his heart even has his hands danced across the ivories.  Just before he reached the ending of the song, he stopped playing.  His long lithe fingers hovered expectantly above the keys, but he only stared at them, wondering what he was doing.  This was pointless.  He could remain angry at Lilith until the end of time when Maze finally learned to bathe regularly, but it would accomplish nothing.  The only thing it seemed to be doing was making it harder for him to sort out what would be best for him . . . and the girl.

Taking another swallow of bourbon, he was considering going down stairs to Lux and finding the sexiest, most buxom distraction he could find for the evening and forgetting everything for a while.  Yes, this sounded like the very thing he needed and he was just getting up from this piano when he heard the elevator doors open.  At this point he imagined it could be anyone from Velius returning with his tail between his legs, to the detective coming to give him news on the case.  What he wasn’t expecting was the man who entered his penthouse. 

“Warren Taylor,” the devil said, his sharp eyes instantly recognizing the elderly man, despite the dark skin of his face showing new wrinkles and the tight curls of what little hair he had being almost completely grey and white.  The knowing and mischievous twinkle in his eyes was still the same, as was his self-assured impish smile. He stood there in his over coat and a fedora on his head, carrying his briefcase as though he were headed for a business meeting of some kind.  “So . . . the elusive ‘librarian’ has decided to show himself.” Lucifer had never really met the man beyond a momentary introduction, but he vividly recalled the incident in the library that began as simple research and ended with Lilith losing her power, a human going insane and gun shots.  When the smoke cleared the enigmatic Mr. Taylor had vanished leaving many questions unanswered.  Looking at the old man, he wasn’t sure he was happy to finally meet him at all.  Warren, on the other hand, seemed delighted to be in company of the devil, his keen eyes looking around and taking in every detail of the penthouse.

“I have often tried to imagine the sort of home the devil would live in.” His sparkling dark eyes watching the fallen angel closely as he removed his hat and overcoat and set them on the couch.  “I must say that this place far exceeds anything my imagination could have come up with.”

“I’m not sure what is more impressive about you, your ability to vanish, or the size of your balls to think coming here was a good idea.”

“Actually, I came here because of you and your . . . _Aḻakāṉa._ I believe I pronounced it correctly.” The old man’s ‘cat that ate the canary’ grin was grating on Lucifer.  He knew nothing about the librarian, except that somehow he knew that he was the devil and that Lilith was something more than just a pretty face.  One thing was for certain, the devil did not trust Warren Taylor.

“Well . . . your balls are getting bigger by the second, aren’t they?”  The fallen angel walked over to his bar and poured another drink while keeping one eye on his uninvited guest.  “Whatever business you have with Lilith will have to be done elsewhere.  She is not welcome here.”

“I suspected that would happen once you learned about Inara,” the old man responded with a sigh. 

“What?  Did everyone know about my minor ‘misconception’ except me?”

“I only learned about your daughter . . .” Warren started to say, but at the word ‘daughter’ Lucifer gave an involuntary hiss that momentarily made him pause before continuing.  “Because I happened to be there when she was born.”  He saw the way the devil stared at him, his eyes hard with fire in their dark depths.  “I went to Kauai to ensure that Elijah’s Lilith Scrolls were safely in her possession.”

“You lie.  Lilith can’t touch those scrolls, Dad forbade it.” Lucifer corrected, feeling as though he had proven this man to be untrustworthy.

“True, but I was more than willing to assist her in its destruction or storage.  At the same time I had the honor of meeting your son, a most intelligent man.”

“Don’t you have a family of your own to meddle with?”

“I had a wife once, named Arjana.  She was a gentle and beautiful woman, but your Father called her into eternity three years after we were married.  I buried her with our stillborn son, Neo.” Seeing the look of sadness in Warren’s eyes and hearing that answer suddenly made the devil feel like the biggest jerk to ever walk the earth.  Unsure of how to apologize, Lucifer took a drink from his glass, hoping the right words would come to him.  “There is no need to feel sorry for me, Mr. Morningstar.  There was no way you could have known.  At any rate, we will not be separated for too many more years.”

“What?”

“I have prostate cancer.  I decided not to pursue treatment after my doctor informed me that it had already metastasis in my visceral organs.” Seeing the pity in the devil’s eyes, Warren immediately shrugged it off as though it was nothing.  “I am an old man and death is only the start of a new life and adventure.  Hopefully I will find my wife and son waiting for me, but if I should happen to find myself in Hell, then I know the way out.  Which brings me to why I am here.”

The old man set his briefcase on the bar counter next to Lucifer and opened it.  From inside he took out an object carefully wrapped in cloth and set it before the fallen angel.  Drawing back the fabric he revealed a stone tablet with Cuneiform writing on it.  The reddish brown clay was cracked in places and it was obviously not complete.  The writing ended abruptly at the bottom and the edge was jagged, showing that another piece had broken off.  Lucifer had seen thousands and thousands of such tablets over countless millennia and while he couldn’t read the writing, he knew they were of little value except as a museum pieces.           

“Annnd?” Lucifer asked waiting for an explanation as to why Warren had brought this to him.

“Father Kinley told your detective about a prophecy . . .”

“Yes, yes, first love . . . evil released . . . yada, yada, yada.  Old news and already taken care of,” The devil answered with a roll of his eyes as he walked back to his piano.

“You could hardly have dealt with it, since it has only just started.”  At the old man’s words, the fallen angel stopped and turned his gaze back towards him.  There was that knowing smile and infuriating twinkle in his eye.  This had to be a jest and Lucifer was not amused by it.  Such talk of prophecies and other ancient bull shit had caused him enough problems over many ages.  He wasn’t going to suffer through all that again.

“Humans have been spouting so called ‘prophesies’ since they could form words or gouge bits of clay with a stick.  Very few have every come to fruition.”

“Ah, but you admit that some have,” Warren smirked, irritating the fallen angel. 

“Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

The old man was not surprised that Lucifer was so hard-headed.  Lilith was the same way and really, after everything the devil had endured for countless centuries why would he want to give credence to a piece of clay?  Using the cloth to pick the ancient tablet up, he carried it over to the piano where Lucifer stood and once more laid it out for him to see.  This time, the fallen angel really looked at it.  He knew a couple of the symbols, but as polished as he was in speaking every language, he was woefully lax in his ability to read any of the ancient ones. 

“Father Kinley never saw this tablet or his misguided interpretation might have been different.  It reads: _‘When Enki lives among the people and his heart awakens, then shall come the great change.’”_

“So?”

“There is nothing here about first loves or even evil.  It’s really rather ambiguous, of course I’m not an archeologist or a theologian.  I could only guess at what it meant and hope I was right.”  Warren went back to his briefcase on the bar and took out another cloth bundle and brought to the piano where he set it before the devil.  “After Pierce was finally brought to the end he deserved many of his ‘employees’ didn’t know what to do with themselves.  I decided to give them a new purpose in life by utilizing their black market skills and lack of moral character so I could further my own research.  Embezzling small amounts from Cain’s numerous bank accounts over the years and made these endeavors possible.” Hearing this, the devil was impressed.  He never imagined that this unimposing gentleman wearing a plaid sweater vest had a devious streak in him.  “I think the first born human and murderer owes the world a little something, don’t you think?”

Lucifer naturally agreed. He could think of nothing redeeming about Marcus Pierce, aka Cain.  His only satisfaction was seeing the bastard hoarse from screaming as he lay covered in honey and being eaten away by insects as Lilith’s daughter Keres watched in obvious pleasure.  This was only one of many tortures he had only just begun to endure.  The Lilim had all eternity to indulge and use him in their dark twisted fantasies.  Most people were brought to Hell by their own guilt and tormented themselves while others were not so fortunate.  Those who were evil and incapable of guilt, true psychopaths and sociopaths, found themselves in a much worse situation.  They’re fate was to experience physical torture of every kind without mercy or any hope of an end.   

There was something about the enigmatic Warren Taylor that told Lucifer that this particular human would not have to worry about finding himself in Hell.  While the devil still didn’t quite trust him, he had to admit that old man’s methods, while questionable, he appeared to be honest and he seemed to hold himself to the highest degree of integrity and ethics.  A rare and admirable quality in a human and for this reason alone he decided to hear him out and see what he had to say.  If nothing else, then it might be amusing to hear his interpretation of these bits of clay and the ramblings of a people who barely had a written language. 

Warren unwrapped the cloth revealing another clay tablet that was slightly larger than the first and had a jagged edge at the top.  With great care the old man took the two pieces and joined them, the two broken, irregular sides fitting together like pieces of a puzzle and creating a whole.  Reaching into his pocket, Warren took out his glasses and put them on before carefully looking over the stone before them.  His fingers lightly touching each notch as though he were almost afraid his fingerprints might somehow damage it. 

“‘ _When Enki lives among the people and his heart awakens, then shall come the great change_.’”  He cleared his throat a moment before continuing with the translation.  “ _For all those who have cast themselves into the pit of fire shall find peace when the child of light and dark bridges the worlds and guides them to paradise_.”  He looked up at the devil, but there was no emotion in Lucifer’s face.  “Inara’s birth was always meant to be.”  

“Well, it’s good to know that my father always intended for me to be used in such a disagreeable fashion,” the fallen angel’s words dripped with acid as he turned and went back over to his bar where he had left his drink.  In the process, the devils suit jacket flared open just enough that Warren was able to catch a glimpse of something sticking out of his inside pocket.

“I don’t believe the prophecy refers to Chloe or even Lilith as the devils great love.”

“Oh, you don’t think so?” Lucifer responded caustically.  He didn’t believe in any such prophecies and wasn’t impressed by the cuneiform words at all.  “Don’t tell me its Maze, or perhaps it was Eve after-all, or maybe Dr. Linda.  I know, it’s Joyce, the accountant who handles the books for Lux.”

The old man smiled his ever knowing smile, amused by the devil’s attempts to invalidate what he was trying to tell him.  Fortunately, Warren had expected this to happen.  Undaunted, he bravely strode towards the fallen angel and with a swift move he caught the devil’s jacket and pulled Inara’s picture from the inside pocket.  It only took a matter of seconds, but the presumption of this human to dare lay hands on the devil was enough for Lucifer’s eyes to flash red.

“ _This_ is the one I believe to be the Enki’s heart.  _She_ is the child of the Lightbringer _and_ the Queen of the Night.  _She_ is the bridge between Heaven and Hell.”

“What? Dad doesn’t have some great celestial calling for my son?  Well that’s hardly fair is it?” the devil retorted, his words were barbed as he spoke them.  The last thing he wanted to talk about was the girl.  He didn’t even know her, nor was he certain that he wanted to, so this man’s assertions that the little imp was going to be the great love of his life and something special, was more than a little premature. 

“Velius Morningstar is a child of Heaven and of Earth.  His choices are far different and more limited due to his human side.”                        

“Of course” The devil emptied his glass then set it on the bar and started to walk away.  “As interesting as your theories are, I’m afraid there are far more pressing matters to be dealt with, such as finding my little indiscretion and punishing her kidnappers.”

“Mr. Morningstar . . .” Warren began, genuinely concerned for the child’s safety.    

“MISTER Taylor,” Lucifer interrupted, his patience wearing thin.  He had listened to enough drivel about prophecies, souls and celestial fate to last a thousand lifetimes and he wasn’t giving it one more minute.  “While this whole conversation has been both enlightening and boring, I’m sure there are plenty of books lying around on the tables at the Philosophical Research Society just waiting for you to put them back in their places.”

The two men stared at each other for a few moments.  Warren Taylor was calm, his dark eyes staring coolly into the devils.  Any other human would have been afraid of incurring the Lord of Hell’s anger, but this human seemed more annoyed by the obvious dismissal rather than intimidated.  Quietly the old man turned and closed his brief case, taking the handle in his hand and looking back at Lucifer.  He was disappointed that the Lord of Hell would refuse to see reason, but a part of him wasn’t surprised either.  He was as suborn as Lilith and probably one of the reasons the two normally got along so well. 

“I suppose you’re right,” he said, picking up his hat and coat.  “There is nothing more for me to say.  As it is I have an appointment with a young man I hope will make an excellent successor.”  Warren started towards the elevator then stopped and looked back at Lucifer.  “It has been pleasure speaking with you, sir and I hope not the last.  I will leave the tablets for you to look over.  Study them or destroy them, it’s your decision, but I hope you will not take them lightly.”

Glad to see the librarian gone, Lucifer went to his bar and poured another drink.  He mumbled to himself about prophecies, offspring, and strange old men.  He was still rambling in between drinks when he went past his piano and his eyes fell on the clay tablet sitting where Warren had left them.  He looked at the marks and symbols cut into the ancient stone and wondered if the old librarian wasn’t right.  The devil lightly brushed the artifact that spoke of the child of light and dark, his mind wondered about its predictions and whether this spawn of his really was meant for something greater. 

As his fingertips moved along the ancient text he suddenly began to feel dizzy and had to put his hand on the piano to catch himself.  Flashes of a place that was dry and desolate seemed to appear in his mind.  He closed his eyes trying to make it stop but it didn’t.  He started to try and lower himself to the piano bench so he could sit down, but the devil quickly stumbled and landed on his knees.  Lucifer sat there a moment trying to steady himself and thought, _what’s happening to me_? Once more he closed his eyes and an image began to appear before him.  It was a figure standing a short ways off and although everything seemed fuzzy and out of focus he could tell it was a woman with long dark hair.  He suddenly smelled Lili’s perfume and heard her speak. 

“ _I’m here ‘Old Scratch’_.”

“ _A-are you real_?” Lucifer recognized his own voice and yet he wasn’t physically speaking.  He wanted to push away the fog in his mind, but he felt helpless to stop it.

“ _Of course I’m real_.”  He heard her say.  The devil knew he was alone in the penthouse and yet he could feel Lilith’s body against him, feel her face, her hair. 

“ _You won’t disappear on me again_?” The devil found himself speaking these words along with the echo in his mind.

“ _I’m not going to leave you, I promise_.”

 “ _Y-you’re the only one . . ._ ” Lucifer heard himself say, then without thinking he continued to speak without the echo “ _You’ve never abandoned me . . . not really_.”  As suddenly as it had begun, the dizziness stopped and the devil found himself sitting on his knees on the floor.   

The devil managed to stand up again and look about the room confused.  He had no idea what had just happened.  He looked at the drink in his hand and sniffed it.  There was nothing unusual about the smell.  He cautiously took a sip, but it was the normal vanilla and oak taste with a hint of caramel.  The bottle of Blanton’s was not a new one, in fact, it had been nearly empty when he poured the drink so he found it hard to believe that it could have been laced with anything. 

He finished off the drink then removed his jacket and tossed it on the piano bench.  Perhaps what he needed was a nap.  It had been an emotional roller coaster of a day.  Walking up the steps to his bedroom, he kicked off his shoes, stretched his long lean frame across the blankets then closed his eyes.  He lay there for several minutes, but nothing happened.  He couldn’t sleep.  Frustrated he rose intent on getting himself another drink.  Surely that would help. 

As his foot reached the final step, the dizziness returned, but this time it was much worse.  Everything momentarily went black before being replaced with visions. All of it seemed familiar and yet he couldn’t recall when any of it had happened.  It seemed to pick up where the last images had left off.  Watching the scenes unfold before him, he saw tender peaceful moments with Lilith followed by anger and intense fighting between them.  He didn’t want her to be with Michael because she belonged at his side.  She was his lover, his family, no one else’s.  He didn’t want to share her with his twin and he wasn’t going to.  The devil was prepared to claim her as more than his mistress if need be.  He heard her declaration and it sounded strangely familiar as though he had heard it before.       

“ _You forget yourself, ‘Old Scratch’.  I am not Eve, trying desperately to be someone I am not.  I know you couldn’t have mistaken me for one of your harem whores that you can order to your bed or a night club groupie throwing themselves at your feet.  I most certainly am not your detective, looking at you with longing eyes while playing court to another man._ ”

“ _Who are you then_?” he had said this before, but when?

“ _I am Lilith, Queen of the Lilim!  I define who I am, not you.  I am ruled by no man, no angel . . . not God . . . and certainly not the devil!_ ”

“ _There seems to be a few things you have forgotten_ ,” he responded.  His words flowed from his heart, real and deep and yet it seemed that he was only reenacting what he had already done.  He also realized that until this moment he had never noticed just how equal the two of them were.  “ _I’m not Adam neglecting one wife then playing the cuckold to another.  I’ll never be Asmodeus, a sick fool, dangerous with jealousy when it comes to you.  Your Christian loved the human side of you while simply tolerating your demon side.  I want you exactly as you are and all that you will ever be.  I am certainly not Michael sitting in my Father’s shadow unwilling to fight for what he desires._ ”

“ _Tell me who you are then_ ,” she whispered.   

“ _I am Samael . . . Lucifer.  I am the venom or God and the Lightbringer, the Morningstar, son of the dawn.  I am the Sovereign of Hell and ruler of underworld which means you are subject to me!_ ” 

The dream!  Lucifer suddenly realized what he was seeing.  It was the dream he had shared with Lilith.  She had said that it would return, but he hadn’t believed until now.  He was reliving all of it.  He felt every taste, smell and sensation as he claimed her.  The heat and wetness from her was enough to tell him she was enjoying his show of authority.  Back and forth they coupled as the flames of their desires grew hotter before they finally reached their peak.  Yes, he remembered everything, even his vow.   

“ _Nī eṉṉuṭaiyatu . . . Eppōtum. [You are mine . . . always]_ ,” Lucifer had meant those words when he said them and he still did.

“ _Nāṉ eṉ itayam kāṭṭiyatu mutal napar nīṅkaḷ yārum atai mīṇṭum pārkka muṭiyātu kāraṇam. [You are the first person I ever showed my heart to and you are the reason no one will ever see it again.]_ ,” she whispered in return.

Suddenly Lucifer awoke again in his penthouse.  This time he was face down on the floor at the foot of the stairs that led to his bedroom.  He wasn’t certain how long he had been out, but the sun had long since gone down and the penthouse was dark.  The dream, the dream they had shared was still there and he remembered every part of it just like she said he would.  He had to talk to Lilith . . . he _needed_ to talk to her, but he had no idea where she was. 

Getting up he straightened his clothes then reached for the phone in his pocket.  He was planning to call Lilith and find out where she was and if they could talk, but before his fingers could bring up anything, his phone started ringing.  Looking at the number he saw it was Chloe and immediately answered in hopes that she had discovered something regarding Inara’s whereabouts.  He answered, but was confused by the sound of the detective’s voice.  It was certainly her, but instead of the business-like tone she normally took, she sounded awkward and nervous as she started asking about his day.  Not in the mood, Lucifer interrupted and cut right to the situation at hand.

“Did you find out anything on the kidnapping?” he asked.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” she answered.  “Why don’t you come over and we can go over the information, okay?”

“I’m on my way.”


	12. Anything Lilith Can Do . . .

Upon arriving at Chloe’s apartment, Lucifer barely managed to knock on her door before it opened and she greeted him.  The devil’s dark eyes looked her over surprised to see her dressed as though she were expecting a romantic date.  Although he certainly like what he was seeing, this was not what he had anticipated when Chloe had called and asked him over.  Far from her usual work-a-day attire, Chloe was dressed in a simple black dress with long sleeves and a rounded neckline.  Her skirt stopped just above the knees so her fine legs were on display.  Her long hair was smooth and sleek and her naturally beautiful face was made up, highlighting her fine blue eyes, full lips and heart-shaped face.  Most importantly she was wearing the bullet necklace he had given her.  She hadn’t worn that for at least a couple of years.    She motioned him in, but as he stepped inside, Lucifer was even more confused.  There were candles all around the place and a table set formally with wine glasses and her best dinnerware.  This was hardly the business meeting she had indicated that it was supposed to be.

“Detective?” the fallen angel asked, uncertain of what this was all about.  He could smell the aroma of food cooking, but he wasn’t sure what it was.  “I thought you wanted to discuss the kidnapping . . .”

“Yes . . . yes of course,” Chloe began to fidget with her hands nervously as she tried to come off as though it was no big deal.  “But there is no reason we can’t have dinner while we discuss the case.”  She playfully reached up and booped his nose, but it only made him more suspicious.

“Riiight,” he answered.  “Please don’t do that.”  This was odd behavior for the detective.  Normally she was all business and was staunchly against mixing that with pleasure.  She gestured to one of the chairs at the table then went over to the kitchen, slyly hitting the play button on the stereo as she went. 

The room was suddenly filled with the gentle sounds of The Bangles singing _Eternal Flame_.  The last time he had heard that song, he had been singing it in hopes of making amends with Chloe and to flush out a suspect.  Looking down at the place settings, he noticed that the napkins were tied with ribbon and hanging from the bow was a monopoly game piece, specifically a shoe.  On the detectives’ napkin hung the little silver top hat.  He recalled this piece from when he had spent the evening playing monopoly with Chloe and her offspring.

He looked around the room and noticed various photographs on display of the two of them together.  Pictures of them on vacation touring Europe, enjoying a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, and a few holiday get-togethers.  There was even one of him and Chloe with Trixie at Disneyland.  The devil didn’t look terribly happy about being in the ‘happiest place on earth’, but it had excited Chloe’s offspring so that had made it at least more palatable.  Looking at all the memories on display, Lucifer couldn’t help wondering what had brought on this sudden burst of nostalgia.   

“I’ve made us hamburger steaks with a mushroom sauce.” The detective said, walking over and carefully setting a plate in front of him.  “It’s not Chateaubriand, but it’s . . . its good.” Chloe went to the other side of the table and set down her own plate as she mumbled “I hope.”

“What is this for?  The only times you go to this sort of extreme is when your offspring has a birthday.” He commented with a slight laugh.  “Since that was three months ago, it can’t be that, now can it?”  

“No, no, it’s not a birthday or anything like that.” The detective squinted her eyes a moment then widened them as she mentally reminded herself to relax.  “I did this because . . . well I wanted to help you . . . help _us_ move forward.  We’ve been together now for a long time and . . .” She cleared her throat as her hands nervously fidgeted with her napkin then accidentally bumped the silver ware off the table.  Chloe started to reach down and pick it up, but Lucifer was quicker.  With a quick ‘thank you’ she took them into the kitchen and set them in the sink before getting a clean set.  Coming back to the table, Chloe gave a laugh that was supposed to be flirtatious, but came off as more uncomfortable.  “See, we still make a good team, always have.”  Her smile faded slightly.  “We’ve been through a lot together, and I guess . . . I guess I just thought we should talk, or . . . well, there’s things I need to say . . . to you.”

Lucifer sat forward in his seat, both pleased and curious to hear what she had to say.  Normally he was the one making the grand gestures, hoping to please her and make her smile.  That she would be trying to impress him was extraordinary and he was flattered.  No one had ever done this for him before and he was glad thinking that things were finally going to change between them.  Perhaps Chloe had finally fully accepted him . . . all of him.  This was indeed a momentous occasion.  To mark it he took up the bottle of wine and started to work on the cork while Chloe continued to talk.

“Be honest with me Lucifer, isn’t this more of a life and a home then you could ever get with Lilith?”  Hearing this statement, the devil’s once pleasant smile suddenly faded.  She hadn’t really accepted him and this wasn’t really a grand gesture.  All the candles, romantic mood and suggestions about them talking had nothing to do with this.  This was just Chloe trying to one-up Lilith.  He couldn’t believe it. 

“So this had nothing to do with what is wrong between us.  You just wanted to prove you were better than _Aḻakāṉa._ ”

“That’s not her name and . . .  and yes, yes I _am_ better than her,”  she snapped.  “She has never been anything but trouble since the moment she stepped into our lives.  If not her, then her insane children show up and start causing problems.  Ahriman and Dromos wreaked enough havoc.  Those two at the Carolands Chateau were incompetent and just plain weird.  Don’t get me started on Maze’s quirks.  Let’s not forget that Velius is still a suspect in the death of the Preacher-man, but he at least stays out of our lives.  Now her latest holy terror, Inara, has been kidnapped and who knows what kind of danger Lilith will lead you into trying to rescue her.” The detective softened her voice and stared at him pleadingly.  “I love you Lucifer and I don’t want to lose you because that creature can’t conduct herself or her children.” 

Hearing the detective speak of Lilith’s children in such a fashion really wasn’t a shock.  They were demons through and through.  Besides, everyone knew that the Lilim were far from disciplined, at least by human standards.  What was more cutting was that Chloe had included Velius and Inara, his own flesh and blood in her description.  While the devil didn’t really know Inara yet, he was deeply proud of Velius despite his somewhat turbulent relationship.  He was independent with his parents zest for life and yet it was possible that he was wiser than either of them.  For a long time he had been unable to introduce his son to the love of his life, mainly due to the Nephilim’s constant travels.   Fortunately during his Velius’ last visit to the club about three weeks ago the opportunity finally arrived.  They were in the middle of discussing the fact that Lilith was out of Hell when the detective suddenly came in and let him know that the suspect they had been pursuing had been caught and immediately confessed. 

Beaming with pride, Lucifer immediately introduced Velius to the detective.  Her sharp eyes instantly recognized him as the one she suspected of murdering Levi Sethos, aka the Preacher-man.  Despite this, she put on a smile and was pleasant, but the devil had noticed that it was strained and a tad forced.  Now he understood it.  His son had two strikes against him as far as Chloe was concerned.  The first was that she firmly believed he was guilty of a crime that he never committed and the second strike was being Lilith’s offspring.    He had known for a long time that neither woman was fond of the other, but it had never occurred to him that those sentiments would extend to his and Lili’s progeny as well. 

“Why are you doing this?” Lucifer asked softly.

“I want you to see who your real family is.  I want to prove to you, Lucifer, just who it is that has stayed by your side through _everything_ and it’s not Lilith.  She doesn’t deserve you.”

“I see, so who does deserve me?” he asked, hoping beyond hope that she would say what he needed to hear.

“Not her!” Tears sprang into her eyes which she quickly blinked away.  “She hasn’t even been around here these last eight years.  She wasn’t the one at your side building a future, making love to you, cooking dinners, date nights, board games . . . breaking each other’s hearts and mending them again.  What has she given you but lies and manipulation . . . she throws her sex life in your face and you can’t even see it.”  Angry tears were starting to fill her eyes.  Why wasn’t he agreeing with her or at least saying _something_?  He just sat there silently watching her with that lost puppy dog look and it was infuriating.  “Damn it, I deserve better from you then to be pushed aside and replaced by the world’s first whore just because you don’t want to be reminded that you are in fact the devil!” Her face was hot from her anger and the tears were rolling down her cheeks.  The detective took her napkin and quickly wiped them away.  “I guess as the Lord of Hell treating people like that just comes natural to you.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Chloe regretted them.  She hadn’t even meant them, it was just that she was so angry.  Lucifer looked at Chloe sadly, tears just forming in his eyes.  The fallen angel had really hoped that the detective had staged this grand gesture in hopes of working out their problems or to give themselves a fresh start.  Instead he was terribly disappointed.  He hadn’t felt this hurt by Chloe since Kinley had told him about her betrayal and he felt just as lost.  He loved Chloe.  She had awakened so much in him, but he couldn’t ignore what he felt for Lili, _Aḻakāṉa, his_ beautiful one either _._  He couldn’t erase an eternity with her anymore then he could wish away the past ten years knowing and growing with Chloe.  Nor did he want to.  Unfortunately he feared that the chasm that had grown between them was becoming too wide to bridge anymore.  Slowly he rose and tucked in his chair.

“I got your message loud and clear, detective, but you can’t have it both ways . . .”

“I didn’t mean . . .”

“Yes you did.  Our relationship works, but only when things are easy.  Being the devil complicates that and while you may accept that part of me to a point, you’ll never completely accept it.”

“That’s not true, I accept you . . . all of you . . .” Her tears falling freely now, but the devil just shook his head softly.

“Chloe . . . Velius and Inara are _my_ offspring too, not just Lilith’s” Lucifer professed.  It was real now.  For the first time since learning the truth he had said his daughters name and that she was really his.  There was no going back or denying it, he could only go forward one step at a time.  “I am very proud of the man my son has become, even if I was not permitted a hand in his upbringing.  I don’t know this daughter of mine yet, but I intend to.  What I do know is they are no more evil than I am, but I don’t know if you can truly see that.  I also know how it feels to be ignored and abandoned by a Father and I will not do that to them just because you don’t like their mother.”

“I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant . . . I would never ask you . . .”

“Detective, Lilith became my family when all the others turned their backs on me.    She has always listened to me when no one else would and has been my refuge and confidant almost since time itself began.  If there is one thing that _Aḻakāṉa_ has taught me after all these years it’s that all the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.  There were moments when she was the only candle in my world, but that’s not the case anymore.  I am grateful to have more than one candle in my life including you, but I won’t shut out the light of a single one just to please you.”  He turned and walked out of the apartment, feeling certain of what he was doing and the path he needed to take.  It was the first time since his fall from heaven that he had felt that way.

As he walked towards the corvette, A Mazda convertible pulled into the driveway loaded with giggling teenage girls.  Trixie jumped out, telling the others she’s be right back.  Seeing Lucifer, she immediately thought back to the night she and her friends had gotten drunk and the whole Velius incident and felt terrible.  She really didn’t want to be the cause of Lucifer and her mother breaking up. 

“Lucifer!” she called out, running over and stopping him from getting in his car. 

“Yes, offspring?”

“I’m sorry I caused all these problems between you and mom.  I never intended . . .”

“You didn’t cause any problems between me and Chloe,” Lucifer assured her, but Trixie wasn’t so sure.  Hoping to relieve her worries, he pulled her to him and hugged her, planting a fatherly kiss on the top of her head.  “There were complications with our relationship long before that.”

“Are . . . are you and mom going to be okay?”

“I don’t know.” The devil answered.  He couldn’t lie to the child and honestly, he really didn’t know.  “I hope so . . . I think so.  Whichever way things go, everything will be just fine.” He looked up to see Trixie’s friends eyeing him like a carnivore eyes a side of beef and one was blowing him kisses.  “I think your friends are getting tired of waiting on you.”              

“I really don’t think they know I’m standing here,” she laughed.  “But I probably should hurry up anyway.”  They embraced again, before finally parting.  Trixie walked towards the front door and smirked as she saw her friends staring intently at the devil’s ass.  She had never seen Lucifer the way most of the female sex did.  To her he was another Father figure and sometimes he had been more of a dad then Dan was.  She really hoped that the devil was right and things really would work out, not just because she didn’t want to lose him from her life, but because no one could make her mom as happy as he did.

As Lucifer drove away, Trixie went into the apartment intent on grabbing the jacket she had forgotten, but stopped when she saw her mom.  Chloe was just sitting at the table staring into the candles silently as tears rolled down her face.  Her high heels were cast aside and the food lay untouched on the table.  In the detective’s hand was a glass of wine that she occasionally sipped from.  While Lucifer had seemed a more sober version of himself, there had been nothing about his demeanor that had given her any indication that there had been another argument between them.   

“Mom?”

“I’ve lost him,” Chloe said sadly in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Who?  Lucifer?”

“He’s gone off to find his ‘great love’ . . . his . . . Lilith.” She spoke her rival’s name with complete contempt as she looked off into space and took a sip of wine.

“I don’t think Lilith is Lucifer’s great love.” Trixie responded.  Hearing this the detective gave her a skeptical look.  “Yes, they’re close, yes they have a long history . . .”

“And children,” Chloe injected, bitterly.

“He loves _you_ mom, he has since the first moment he met you.  If you would stop expecting him to be some perfect hero out of a romance novel then things might get better.”

“I don’t do that,” the detective objected.  She had always prided herself on being completely fair and objective no matter what.  She never expected anything from anyone that she wasn’t willing to do herself, of that she was positive.

“ _Yes you do, you always have_.” Trixie insisted, then seeing her mom immediately bristle and start to object, she was quick to explain.  “You forget that I have lived in the same house with you all my life and not only have I had a front seat view of you and Lucifers relationship, but I can remember when you and dad were married.”

“The problems your dad and I had . . .”

“Weren’t that much different.” Trixie answered, finishing her mother’s sentence and cutting her off.  “You two always fought about the same thing.  You were always mad at him because you felt he was always putting his cases before us, which I understand.  The thing is, whenever you had to work late or you couldn’t come to a school program or pick me up that was perfectly acceptable and justified.  It was okay for the great Det. Decker to be a workaholic and devote all her time to her cases, but everyone else had better be sitting around waiting for her when she finally has a moment to spare for her family.”     

Hearing this Chloe’s jaw dropped and she stammered trying to come up with an explanation.  She had always thought of herself as an excellent mother.  Wasn’t ‘Taco Tuesday’ her idea?  Okay, there were a lot of times when Trixie spent it with a sitter or it was changed to Taco Wednesday, but the thought was there.  She was also the one who started game night with face painting and suckers (which Trixie had loved).  Unfortunately what had started out as a weekly event quickly changed to every other week then once a month . . . if they were lucky.   

“Look, I did the best I could, no one is perfect.” Chloe explained, taking her right hand and turning it so that rested on her right shoulder.  She was trying to appear as though she wasn’t uncomfortable and caught behind the eight-ball.  The awkward gesture was unfortunately an easy ‘tell’ and everyone was aware of it except Chloe.

“I know and you were still a good mom, but you expect perfection from everyone else and Lucifer in particular.”

“I don’t expect . . .” the detective began, but her daughter was quickly to interrupt again.

“Yes you do.” At Trixie’s assertion, Chloe shook her head.  “Do you remember when Ella threw you that bachelorette party?”

“Uch, don’t remind me.”

“I remember you were sitting at your dresser getting ready and I came in and you started telling me how excited you were about the party.  When I started to ask you about the wedding your face changed.  It was like the excitement completely vanished, but you were still trying to smile and pretend you were on cloud nine.  When I asked you if you were happy you couldn’t answer right away.  In fact you didn’t answer at all and instead shooed me from your room.  I didn’t go back downstairs, but stayed in the hall listening to you talk to yourself in the mirror.  You kept telling yourself that Marcus was sensible and dependable, then I heard you toss, what I assume was your make-up brush, then complain that there was no point waiting for Lucifer to tell you how he feels when he would just push you away again.”

“He did . . . He did it all the time . . .” Chloe insisted, bobbing her head for emphasis.

“So did Marcus Pierce, but you still accepted his ring.”

“I . . . well . . . he actually said he loved me,” the detective argued.  The entire relationship might have been a mistake, but that much was true.

“So did Lucifer.”

“No . . . no he didn’t.”

“Yes he did, every time he saved your life, throwing you a prom . . . when he stood on the beach and told you what a wonderful person you are.” For a moment Chloe was confused as to how her daughter knew all this.  Trixie could see the bewilderment and quickly explained.  “You told me what he said when you got home that evening.  You looked so happy that night.  Happier than I’ve ever seen you.  I don’t think it’s the only time he’s done it either.”

“It wasn’t the only time.”  Chloe could remember standing outside on a cool night with Lucifer and hearing him tell her how he had realized that all along she had chosen him.  It had been a wonderful night, at least until her phone rang.  Perhaps it was the tragedy of Charlotte’s death that had made her forget about it.  It seemed as though she had forgotten a lot of things, such as how many times he and risked his life saving hers, particularly when it would have been easier to simply walk away rather than be vulnerable.  “He’s told me many times just how good a person I am.” The detective answered.

“That’s his ‘I love you’.  Did Pierce ever say anything like that?”

“No.”

“Have you ever looked Lucifer in the eye and told him exactly how you feel and what he really means to you?” Trixie pursued.

“No.”     

“How can you demand something from him that you, yourself won’t give?  I remember you coming home crying the night you saw Eve kiss him and accept his devil face.  You thought I was asleep but I heard you talking to yourself about it.  Why didn’t you fight for him?  Why didn’t you go to him and tell him how you felt then?”

“I don’t know . . . I”

“Lucifer isn’t a puppy that’s going to come every time you call so stop expecting him to come running back with his tail between his legs.  Stop thinking that you need to compete with Lilith and just be honest with him.  Tell him how you feel.”

“You’re right,” Chloe said, sitting up straight and adopting a more determined attitude.  Pushing her wine glass aside, she then snatched up a napkin and began wiping her eyes.  “I’m going to tell him.  I should have told him a long time ago.”  Eagerly she grabbed her shoes and slipped them on before running into the bathroom and washing the tear stains from her face.  She didn’t want him to see that she had been crying, but rather that she looked beautiful.  The detective then grabbed her purse and car keys and ran out the door with barely a good-bye.  Trixie just smiled thinking to herself that the devil was right, everything was going to be okay.

“They grow up so fast.” She laughed as she grabbed her jacket, then locking the door behind her, went out to join her friends.


	13. The Path to Paradise Begins in Hell

At Lux, the drinks were flowing, although Ella was being careful not to overdo it.  Even so, she was doing her level best to put a dent in the mixers used or Pina Coladas.  Really the evening should have been a fun night out with two single gals, but Lilith was about as much fun as a vegetarian at a slaughterhouse.  Ella tried to crack jokes, tell saucy tales and just liven things up in general, but nothing worked.  The only thing the forensic expert was enjoying was making eyes at a tall muscular guy that might not have been Vin Diesel, but he easily could have passed for his brother.   

“That has got to be one of the finest specimens of manhood I have ever seen,” Ella said, slurping up the slushy flavors of pineapple, rum, and coconut.  Lilith swallowed another shot then glanced over at the man.  He wasn’t bad looking, but the demoness’ cynicism was at peak level and nothing was going to impress her. 

“I find the majority of human males to be a lot of sound and fury with little substance.  Who wants to watch them throw their chests out at each other while cursing and swearing like the Neanderthals they are?  If they’re not doing that then they’re bragging about their sexual conquests and prowess, while in reality, they have about as much ability and finesse as a third-generation monk.”

“Wait, how can you have a third-generation monk?” Ella asked, confused.  Lilith raised her eyebrow and suddenly a lightbulb went off in the forensic scientist’s mind.  That was the entire point of her statement, a human man’s ability to satisfy was as impossible as a monk having offspring to carry on the family business. 

The demoness poured herself another shot as her companion sighed.  This really wasn’t the kind of evening she had been hoping for.  Lilith was the great seductress and somehow Ella had envisioned a night of partying with men flirting, a touch of romance and, dare she hope, a hot piece of ass to take home with her.  Instead, Lili barely spoke except to make snide comments about humanity while drinking Lux’s entire store of bourbon.  Frustrated, she turned back to her drink and took another long slurp through her straw then cast another hungry look at that same gentleman.  He smiled and winked in return, causing Ella to light up with excitement.

“Oh my God, he’s noticed me!” she giggled.

“Then go get him.   Seal the deal.”

“I can’t do that,” Ella exclaimed.  She was far too shy to just walk up and proposition him.  She was hoping maybe he’d send her a drink or they would meet at the bar.  It would be even better if he approached her.

“Keep pulling a vacuum on that straw and maybe he’ll get the message or at least walk over here so you can stop staring.” At Lilith’s frankness, Miss Lopez’s mouth dropped open. 

“What is wrong with you?” she asked, getting her belly full of the demoness’ unpleasant attitude.  “If you’re so unhappy then why did you agree to join me for a night out in the first place?”

“I agreed because you wouldn’t stop calling me and singing ‘ _Cotton Eye Joe_ ’ over and over again,” Lili explained as she drank her shot.  “I panicked.  It was the only way to free up my phone so I could be reached if anyone found Inara.”

Ella suddenly realized why her friend was in such a foul mood.  She was worried about her daughter and a night of wild partying and sex was not exactly important to her at this moment.  When the forensic scientist had come up with the idea of distracting her so Chloe could see Lucifer, she had forgotten about Inara and why Lilith was even there in the first place.  She felt like the worst friend on the planet and hated herself for it.  Immediately she threw her arms around the demoness and apologized profusely.  Lili instantly tensed up at the embrace but managed to give a polite and forgiving pat on Ella’s back.  Hugs had never been and never would be her ‘thing’.

“I’m so sorry, I . . . I wasn’t thinking.  I should have realized this was all a bad idea.”

“It’s okay.” Lilith conceded.  Anyone else, Lilith wouldn’t have forgiven, but Ella was different.  Her intentions were always good, if not misguided.

The forensic scientist excused herself and went to the bar to get another Pina Colada.  To her delight, the guy she had been watching was standing there too and didn’t waste the opportunity to strike up a conversation with her.  There was, of course, the usual introductions, followed by chit chat on what had brought each of them to Lux that evening.  Eventually, they went up the stairs to a vacant spot along the railing where at least there was the resemblance of a quiet niche to talk. 

Lilith remained at the table pouring shots and thinking of her lost daughter.  She couldn’t have cared less if Ella came back or went off with her dream guy.  At that moment even the crowds and loud music were starting to be more of an annoyance than a pleasure.  Seeing her friend distracted by her chosen muscled specimen of the male sex, Lili saw her chance to make an escape.  She stood up and straightened her green satin halter neck wrap dress, but before she could pick up her purse a man approached her.

He was tall with fine narrow brown eyes and hair.  His lean muscled frame stood out through the blue t-shirt he was wearing and although he was certainly good-looking, he had an ‘every-man’ look about him.  He smiled through the stubble on his chin, which gave him a more masculine look, and while the demoness was not in a social mood, she decided it would be fun to at least hear the sales pitch.

“I’m sure you’ve heard every pickup line that could possibly be imagined,” he began as Lili poured herself another shot and raised it to her pretty lips.  “But I am living proof that while it might be difficult . . . it is not impossible to make love while singing _MMMbop_.” While Lilith had been prepared for every sort of cheap pick-up line that could be spoken, she was not expecting anything like what this man said.  In a moment of shock and laughter, she accidentally spewed bourbon all over the poor gentleman who never even flinched.

“I am so sorry,” she said grabbing some napkins and trying to clean his face and shirt.

“Normally I prefer gin, but I don’t mind a good well-aged bourbon either.  You’re drinking the expensive stuff too so my shirt feels a little more classy now.”  He answered, taking the napkin from her and wiping his face.  Lilith tried to stifle her laughter but it managed to bubble out anyway.

“Are you always like this?

“No, normally my clothes are dry.”

“You know, if I didn’t have so many things pressing on my mind, I think I would want to get to know you better.”

“Surely you can at least grant me one dance?” the man asked, extending his hand to her.

“I don’t know, are you any good?”

“No, but watching me make a fool on the dance floor might at least make you smile, and a beautiful woman should always have a smile,” he responded.  “Well, at least until I step on your toes.” This man was at least being honest and that alone made the demoness laugh.

“You’re on.”  Taking his hand, Lilith followed him out onto the dance floor.  The DJ was just beginning to play Cher’s _Just Like Jesse James_ when her dance partner started to try and show off his best moves.  He was definitely no Gene Kelly, but Lili didn’t care.  It was nice to have one moment without expectations, promises or broken dreams.  Just wanting to enjoy the company, she pulled him into her arms and together they began to sway to the music, forgetful of everything going on around them.  “Thank you.  You have no idea how much I needed a good laugh.”

“Anytime,” he answered.

Although Ella was engrossed in the tall muscle-bound, smoldering man at her side, her squirrel-like attention span was still able to pull away long enough to notice the song.  Immediately she got excited and explained to the Adonis with his arm around her that it was one of her favorites.  What made it better was hearing him agree that he liked the song too.  This was as good as an invitation to sing karaoke.  Without hesitation, the forensic scientist began to belt out the lyrics along with Cher to the amusement of her chosen gentleman. 

“ _I knoooow tonight, somebody's gonna win the fight. So if you're so tough, come on and prove it.  Your heart is down for the count and you know you're gonna lose it.  Tonight you're gonna go down in flaaames, Just like Jesse James_.” Ella was about to start the next verse when her dark eyes suddenly fell upon Lucifer coming down the entrance stairs.    

“Miss Lopez . . . what are you doing here?  I’ve never known you to go drinking alone.” 

“Uhhh . . .” she stuttered and stammered trying to figure out what to say.  He was supposed to be at Chloe’s not here at Lux.  The whole point of the night was to keep Lilith busy so Lucifer and the detective could make up.  If he was here already then things couldn’t have gone well. 

Hearing her hesitation he suddenly realized that she wasn’t here alone and who she was probably with.  Immediately he turned his attention to the crowd below, looking over each face until he saw the demoness slowly being led across the floor by her handsome stranger. 

“Don’t they make a cute couple?” she exclaimed, her enthusiasm taking over and forgetting what affect her words might have on the person she was speaking to.  “It’s like watching Cinderella.  The handsome prince sees her across the room and can’t resist her even though he doesn’t know who she is or anything about her.” 

“They are _nothing_ like that,” Lucifer corrected, rather tersely.  “Excuse me, Miss Lopez.”  Ella’s eyes grew wide and she couldn’t help the awkward feeling that went through her

 “Ooo, I think someone’s jealous,” Ella commented warily after seeing the look in Lucifer’s eyes and the haste with which he descended the stairs and moved into the crowd. 

The fallen angel had no intention of allowing some strange human to make a play for Lilith.  He told himself that while there were plenty of men out there that he would gladly step aside for when it came to the demoness, this guy wasn’t one of them.  As far as he was concerned, Lili’s power and position made her a consort for a king and not the simple plaything of a mere mortal.  Miss Lopez could paint the picture with as much glitter as she pleased, but such a relationship was never going to work.  

Over at the DJ’s station, one of the partiers handed the man at the sound mixer a crisp one hundred dollar bill in exchange for a particular song to be played.  It seemed she had just broken up with her longtime boyfriend and wanted something to reflect her broken heart.  She could never have guessed the way her choice of music would reverberate through demoness own heart.  If she had known, perhaps she would have bought a drink for a kindred spirit.  The DJ accepted the cash and started to bring up Miley Cyrus’ _Wrecking Ball_ as the devil made his way through the crowd, intent on getting to Lilith.  As a rule, this was on Lucifer’s strict list of singers he didn’t want to be played at Lux, but a hundred dollars is a hundred dollars.

The dance floor was wall to wall people.  The devil got stuck once behind a couple that was far too into themselves to notice that someone was trying to get around them.  He finally grabbed both parties and physically separated them so he could get by.  When he finally reached the demoness, she was resting her head on her partner’s shoulder as they both swayed to the music.  With barely an ‘excuse me’, Lucifer inserted himself between the pair and began to lead Lilith away.  The gentleman started to object but the devil never heard him or acknowledged his presence as the music continued to play quickly drowning out his complaints.

_We clawed, we chained, our hearts in vain_

_We jumped, never asking why_

_We kissed, I fell under your spell_

_A love no one could deny_

_Don't you ever say I just walked away_

_I will always want you_

_I can't live a lie, running for my life_

_I will always want you_

_I came in like a wrecking ball_

_I never hit so hard in love_

_All I wanted was to break your walls_

_All you ever did was wreck me_

_Yeah, you wreck me_

There were no words or pleasant smiles between them, but their eyes were locked on each other as they moved across the dance floor.  Their steps were precise and fluid and each seemed to know instinctively where the other was going as though they were one and the same.  They were two souls perfectly in sync with each other.  Where Lucifer’s steps ended, hers began and vice versa.  As the devil got more elaborate in his moves so did the demoness until everyone had stopped dancing and was watching them.  Ella was squealing from the railing as she looked down at Lucifer and Lilith.   In her eternal glittery rainbow mind, they were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers falling in love on the dance floor.  She couldn’t stop herself from gushing about how perfect they were for each other and how if they didn’t end up together then there was no justice in the world.

_I put you high up in the sky_

_And now, you're not coming down_

_It slowly turned, you let me burn_

_And now, we're ashes on the ground_

_Don't you ever say I just walked away_

_I will always want you_

_I can't live a lie, running for my life_

_I will always want you_

_I came in like a wrecking ball_

_I never hit so hard in love_

_All I wanted was to break your walls_

_All you ever did was wreck me_

Ella’s joy soon changed to awkwardness as Chloe stepped into Lux and leaned on the railing next to her.  Her green/blue eyes looked down at the pair and it felt like a knife in her heart.  She didn’t want to see them moving together like poetry and she had hated their closeness ever since she had met the demoness.  If Lilith was around then it seemed impossible to get Lucifer’s attention.  For seven years they had been together in a real relationship.  _Seven Years_!  How could that just come to an end over something as stupid as her assuming Lucifer gave Trixie and her friends alcohol or that she had leaped to that conclusion because he was the devil.  So what if it wasn’t the first time.  He wasn’t exactly perfect either.  He was thoughtless, arrogant, and a giant pain in the ass, at least that was what she told herself.  Over the years she had come to realize that the devil was less boorish than she might have originally thought.  Perhaps he didn’t make the right choices but he was almost always trying to do the right thing.  Ella looked over and saw the way Chloe was bristling at the view and immediately tried to smooth it over. 

“You know what, I wouldn’t worry about her.  Lucifer has had heart eyes for you for years.  He’ll come running back to his Chloe before you know it.  He always does and you know it.”  She smiled at her friend as though she knew the greatest secret in the world.  “I bet he’s going to bring you some roses, wine and together you’ll make that king-sized bed of his start rockin’.”  Chloe wanted to believe her best friend and for a moment she almost did as the song came to an end.

_I never meant to start a war_

_I just wanted you to let me in_

_And instead of using force_

_I guess I should've let you win_

_I never meant to start a war_

_I just wanted you to let me in_

_I guess I should've let you win_

_Don't you ever say I just walked away_

_I will always want you_

With the last beat of the song, Lucifer pulled Lilith to him and attempted to kiss her deeply, but the demoness wanted no part of it.  She pushed the devil away, her eyes glaring at him with cold fire.   Where once she had looked upon him with warmth and affection there was only anger and hate, although he hoped the latter was only his imagination.  A thousand times in the last ten years, he had told himself that he needed to talk with Lilith and air out everything that they had kept hidden, but that conversation had never happened.  Surely it wasn’t too late. 

“ _Aḻakāṉa_ , we need to talk.”

“No Lucifer.  No talking, no more apologies.  I can’t do this anymore.  You said we were through and I’m holding you to that.” She stared at him coldly and defiant.  This was a Lilith the devil had never seen before.  “You can’t keep running to me for comfort or help with your problems then throw me aside as soon as Chloe deigns to smile at you.  I freely admit that I did wrong by you and I never should have used you.  I broke your trust and for that, I cannot apologize enough, but you were _never any better_.  You used me as a tool to rebel against your Father and I was damned for it.  When you couldn’t stand to be in the same room with yourself _I_ was the one you summoned and _I_ was the one who comforted you.  I did it because once I was stupid enough to love you.  Since being on earth you have used me every time you needed help or your precious detective broke your heart.  Well no more.  I have found that my entire existence works better without you in it.  I don’t love you anymore.  I haven’t for a while now.  All of your forgiveness and your affection is worthless to me.”  Lilith looked into the sparkling black depth of his eyes and could see tears beginning to form, but she wouldn’t allow herself to weaken on this.  “ _If_ we should find Inara and you decide that you want to know her and be a part of her life then I will not stop you, but there is no ‘us’.  There will never be an ‘us’.  I’m letting you go.”    

“ _Aḻakāṉa_. . . you can’t just walk away . . .” The devil started to say, but Lili stopped him. 

“I’m not the one who walked away.”  She turned and darted into the crowd, disappearing into the mass of bodies mingling on the dance floor.  The devil could only stand there stunned a moment as the crowds of people seemed to close in around him and return to their revelries.  The devil placed a hand to his chest cognizant of pain there that he had never felt before.  It was as if a part of himself had just been torn away and he was bleeding inwardly. 

“I’ll always want you,” he said softly to himself, his heart filling with regret.  Slowly he went up the stairs, stopping for a moment and looking over at Chloe.  She watched him intently, unsure of what to say or do.  Without a word he turned and went to the elevator.  He just needed to be alone and removed from the world for a little while. 

Lilith was feeling emotionally pained too and the rain coming down in buckets only made it feel worse.  She had to make it go away or at least numb it.  She looked up one sidewalk and down the other, making sure that the devil wasn’t following her.  Stretching out her hands, she transformed into an owl and took off into the night looking for a place where she could be alone.  She considered going to _The Green Lady_ bar that she had once owned, but it didn’t belong to her anymore.  The thought of it did bring to mind a warm memory and she knew exactly where she could go where one would find her.     

She landed at a liquor store then after getting a few bottles of Knob Creek to help get her through the night the demoness started down the sidewalk.  Opening the first one, she started drinking, the blocks passing underfoot without her even noticing.  Before she knew it she standing before the locked gates of Rosedale Cemetery.  With very little preternatural strength she bent the bars wide enough for her to pass through then walked to the mausoleum where her human fiancé, Christian was laid to rest.  Here she felt safe from prying eyes and free to fall apart without fear of showing any vulnerability.  Pressing the mechanism on the back of the tomb the bronze doors came open and Lili went inside.  After lighting the candles that sat on the stone altar, she turned and her eyes fell upon the metal nameplate bearing her former lover’s moniker and the dates of his short life.  A thousand memories came flooding back to her in an instant.  Christian had awakened human emotions in her and set in motion the demoness’ own journey of change just as Chloe had done for Lucifer.  Coming here, she had hoped to find solace with the only person that she believed had ever loved her, including herself. 

She set the bag of booze on the small granite altar that sat against the wall then triggered the mechanism that opened one of the crypts.  Outside in the rain, Michael landed softly before the mausoleum and could see the door was opened a crack and there was light inside.  The rain drowned out his steps as he approached and peeked through the crack in the door.  He could see Lilith standing there with her back to him, still soaked from the rain.  He wasn’t sure what she was doing, but he could see an elaborate urn inside the tomb inscribed with the name ‘Ahriman Tiya’ as well as her onyx and amber box that held her many mystical and powerful objects.  The lid was ajar and the angel wondered what she had taken from it.  He didn’t have to wonder long as she placed her Lilim snake crown haphazardly on her head then staggered slightly, accidentally kicking over an empty liquor bottle.  She turned slightly and raised a second, nearly empty bottle of booze into the air in a mock toast. 

“ _Here she stands, the great queen of the Lilim_!” Lili brought the bottle to her lips and swallowed the amber liquid.  “Oops, it looks like we’ve run out.  Can’t have a party without liquor, now can we?” Lilith reached into the paper sack and pulled out another bottle then using her teeth popped out the cork and spit it on the floor.  “Always a lady,” she giggled, before suddenly turning towards the crypt where Christian was interred and regarding it as though it had said something.  “Would you believe I haven’t drunk a drop of alcohol since my last trip to LA?  Hmm?  Well, I guess that’s not quite true.  I had my first drink in eight years when the devil arrived in Hawaii.  It seems to be a correlation, don’t you think?”  She turned her head suddenly as though someone had spoken to her.  “What are we celebrating?” she took a drink then stared at the label on the bottle a moment before continuing.  “Tonight we drink to God’s first and greatest mistake . . . me.”

Lilith laughed at this, but it broke Michael’s heart.  He never saw her as a mistake.  Her and Lucifer were two of a kind and if she were an error then . . . then what did that make his twin . . . or him?  Wasn’t he the other half of his brother?  For a moment he started to grip the door so he could open it, but seeing her turn around he immediately ducked out of sight while staying close so he could listen.  In all the ages he had known the demoness, she had always been guarded when it came to matters regarding herself, her fall from grace, as well as any other moments of turmoil.  She could listen for hours, and often had, to the devil speak about his self-loathing, his anger at his father and many other things, yet she had never opened up and spoke what was truly in her heart.  Now she was and Michael wanted to hear every word. 

“No, no, it’s true,” she said, still speaking to the silent crypt.  “I was disobedient and a complete failure as ahuman being.  I mean, there’s no point in kidding myself because I _literally_ only had one job and threw it away.”  She stopped and took a drink then sighed.  “Being a demon isn’t all it’s cracked up to be either.  True, I have the power to draw men to me and force them to hunger for my every touch, but at the end of the day, it is nothing but an illusion and not real.  When they tell me they love me it’s . . . it’s only me talking to myself.  It’s not even a convincing performance.”  Her eyes looked at the flames flickering on the candle wicks then she closed them and furrowed her brow.  “No one loves me, no one ever will, not even my children.  If you want proof of that then just go and talk to Mazikeen.  She hates me because I didn’t bring her home after she ran away.”  Opening her eyes again she turned and faced Christian’s sepulcher, her long fingers tracing the letters of his name on the brass plaque.  “What was I was doing, you ask?  I was standing at the front of my Lilim army in a stand-off against the celestial host.  The heavenly bastards wanted her blood for murdering Ibriel and I wasn’t going to allow them to touch a single hair on her head.  I was prepared to sacrifice myself to keep my daughter safe, but in her eyes, I abandoned her so I guess I made the wrong choice.” she gave a half-hearted laugh then took another drink before continuing.  “One of many.”

Michael could well remember that incident.  It was _he_ that had stepped in between the two factions and quelled Gabriel’s lust for revenge.  As for her misguided belief that no one could love her, he could understand why to Lilith it seemed that her life was really a curse.  Who in all the countless ages had ever tried to truly know her?  The angel leaned against the wet granite stone and closed his eyes.  He had known for a long time that she was a broken soul, but he had never realized just how deep and sharp the cuts were.  He peered through the crack in the door and saw her stagger and fall against the tomb before catching herself and resting against the granite.  Undaunted, she took the bottle of bourbon she was holding and started drinking from it like it was Kool-Aid. 

“Velius?” she commented, wiping her mouth with her hand.  “I suppose he has some affection for me, but he was always off doing his own thing and never really needed me.  Inara . . .” here she stopped and stared off into space then slowly slid down the stone surface until she finally hit the floor.  “My baby . . . she’s probably d. . .” She couldn’t finish the thought.  She wouldn’t let herself.  There were tears in her eyes, but she kept speaking as though Christian’s ghost was really talking to her.  “Did I tell you I almost died having her?” she asked, nodding matter-of-factly.  She was only about three pounds, like her brother Velius, but they were both so strong.  After a while, I was so exhausted and the pain was so great that I just couldn’t go on anymore.  I just didn’t have any strength left in me.  Velius was yelling at me to hold on and keep going, but eventually, everything went dark and I was content to simply resign myself to it.  Then I heard Lucifer.  His voice sounded so far away and yet it was so clear.  He told me to hold on.  He said he was with me and to take his strength if I needed it.”

 “I’m never going to leave you,” Michael whispered.  The voice she had heard was not Lucifers but his.  He had been watching her in the flames in the fountain of fire and when he saw her waning, he had cried out to her.  Until this moment he had not been aware that she had heard him at all. 

“I didn’t die though.  When I opened my eyes again, Velius was holding Inara.  He had found rubber gloves and managed to cut her out of me.  Such a small, precious thing to be conceived from such a wicked betrayal.”  Lilith took another swig of bourbon, her vision blurring slightly for a moment.  “Well, that’s never going to happen again.  I made sure of that.”  Her hand moved over the soft fabric of her dress tracing the deep disfiguring scar that marked her abdomen.  “Two days after she was born I took my demon dagger and made sure I would never have children again.  Never.  Now I wear this scar as penance . . . a reminder of my sin.” Once again she put the bottle to her lips then looking at the remaining bourbon she laughed and wiped an errant tear from her face.  “Michael once told me I should embrace my emotion’s . . . but I can’t . . . I can’t take this kind of pain anymore.  I’m too tired to keep fighting a losing battle.”  She took another long draught of bourbon then sighed.  “ _Tuṟavi_ ,” she called out sadly.  It was the pet name she once gave Michael.  Spoken in the old forgotten language of Eden, it meant ‘Priest’ and she called him that because in her eyes he had always appeared to be so upright and pure.  He was nothing like her or Lucifer.  “ _Tuṟavi_ , I’m sorry, but there is no more light left in me.  I don’t want to go on anymore.”  Lilith looked at the small amount of Knob Creek bourbon that remained at the bottom of the bottle.  There was just enough for one last swallow.  “It’s time to silence the demons.”

Hearing this greatly alarmed Michael and his heart began to pound as he wondered what she was planning.  He saw her slowly rise and manage to get back on her feet, despite nearly falling a couple of times.  She reached into the sacred chest and took out a plant, a flower, that resembled a Juliet rose because of it many petals that were cupped, but the color was black with veins of pale blue.  The angel knew of this flower because Lilith had told him about it once a long time ago.  Called the Merikh, It grew in Lilith’s cavernous garden and any creature who dared to eat its petals would die a very painful death within minutes.

Swiftly the angel threw open the bronze doors, startling Lilith and causing her to jump and drop the flower.  Unsteady from all the alcohol she failed to get her footing and stumbled forward, hitting her head on a section of granite and knocking herself unconscious.  Michael stepped into the tomb and knelt down, pulling her into his arms and cradling her.  Tomorrow she would have a bad headache, but she was safe and that was all that mattered.

Lilith was a woman that wore a strong independent exterior, but it was only a mask to hide the loneliness and despair.  Her wonderful smile that could easily light up any room she entered, was little more than an illusion.  Her heart and soul were shattered into a thousand pieces, but she was not beyond repair, Michael was sure of that.  Everything was going to be okay.  He was here and he would do all he could to help her, even if it was just being her friend when she needed it most. 


	14. It's Charlie's Party, Linda Can Cry If She Wants To.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for this taking so long. I have been working on a separate project and couldn't get away from it. So without further adieu:

It was late morning before Lilith found her way to consciousness again, and even then she didn’t want to open her eyes.  She just couldn’t bear to face another day without her daughter or see those martyred looks from Lucifer.  As if he was the only one who had ever been unhappy with their lot in life.  What finally made her fully awaken was the sound of music playing and the realization that she was lying in a warm bed and not the cold stone floor of Christian’s crypt.  Slowly she opened her eyes and as they came into focus, she found herself staring at an iPod repeatedly playing ‘ _My Girl_ ’ by The Temptations. 

She reached out and switched it off then sat up and looked over her surroundings.  The room was elegant with all of its appointments colored in shades of browns, tans, and whites.  The tufted floor to ceiling headboard was flanked with mirrors that brought more light into the space.  To the right of where she lay were French doors leading out to a patio balcony and an amazing view of LA.  On the rich dark mahogany desk sat a vase with a large bouquet of Black Forest Calla Lilies next to a pot of hot coffee and a tray of food, the large stainless lid concealing the meal inside.  Hungry, Lilith started to get up only to discover that she had nothing on beneath the blankets . . . not even a smile.  Fortunately, there was a robe lying on the end of the bed, which she snatched up and wrapped around herself. 

Going over to the desk she lifted the lid and found a plate steeped in crepes, whipped cream and an assortment of fruits.  Fruit, particularly berries, had always been her favorite food and crepes with whipped cream were simply an added bonus for her taste buds.  All of it looked good and particularly the coffee after a night of heavy drinking.  As badly as she wanted to dig in, she didn’t dare do so.  Lilith had no idea whose hospitality she was enjoying, she didn’t want to touch or do anything that might obligate her to repay in ways she’d rather not. 

Turning around, her eyes caught sight of her suitcases along with Inara’s doll sitting next to a chaise lounge chair that sat a few feet in front of the bed.  Draped across the chaise was a long white lace halter sundress.  Looking back over each of the details of the room, Lilith couldn’t help feeling a tad weirded out.  Someone had gone to an awful lot of trouble to make sure that all of her favorites were here, from the song to the color and style of the dress.  Who was behind this?

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of laughter coming from the other room.  She recognized it was Velius, but she knew that he would never go to all this trouble.  It had to be someone else.  Slowly she moved to the door and listened.  There were two men talking and the one chatting the most sounded like Lucifer, although the accent was slightly different.  It was less posh and arrogant and more softly spoken.  He was telling her son stories of pranks he had pulled on Amenadiel in Heaven.  It seemed that when the first and eldest angel had returned to Heaven with Charlotte’s soul, he discovered that every image of himself had been replaced with pictures of Nicolas Cage.  Making the prank even better, was Amenadiel’s inability to laugh it off. 

Such a prank sounded exactly like something Lucifer would do, but he was barred from the Silver City so it couldn’t be him.  Her curiosity getting the better of her, Lilith opened the door and stepped into the next room.  Immediately Velius stood and so did the man he had been speaking to.  The demoness stared at her son’s companion, unsure of her eyes.  It was Lucifer’s face, but this wasn’t the devil.  The hair was a mass of short, soft, dark curls that seemed just a tad unruly, as though fingers had been repeatedly running through them.  Instead of a chin covered in stubble, there was a full well-trimmed beard with just a kiss of grey giving his face a gentle distinguished air.  Peeking out at her through a pair of dark-rimmed glasses were a familiar pair of dark glittering eyes.

“Michael . . . Demiurgos?” she asked in disbelief.  He nodded in confirmation.  “That’s not possible.  No human has summoned me so you couldn’t be here to take me back to Hell and you can’t visit for any other reason.  At least I don’t think any human has.  There are a few things still fuzzy about last night.”

“You haven’t been summoned,” he explained, smiling as he approached her.  “I’m free.  Well, that’s not quite true, Dad can recall me if he chooses, but for now, he’s given me my freedom to be here . . . with you.”   

“Wha . . .why . . . how?”

“I fought him . . . sort of,” Michael began.  “When he saw that I was willing to die to break my chains and be with you, he gave me my strength back and let me go.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Why do you think?” To the angel, all of it should have been obvious, but Lilith could only stare at him in confusion.  She really didn’t understand why anyone would walk away from all they’ve ever known just for her.  She wasn’t worth it.  An even worse thought went through her and her face went white.  In order to be here Lucifer had fallen, she had fallen, and even Amenadiel.  The last thing she wanted to be was the cause of Michael’s disgrace.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no,” She kept muttering over and over again, not wanting it to be true.

“Mum,” Velius interjected.  “For once would you shut up and seize the opportunity in front of you instead of slapping it away.”

Realizing what she must be assuming, Michael turned to his nephew and asked if he would go out for a bit so he and Lilith could talk.  Velius complied, but not before reminding his mother to make good life choices instead of repeatedly making the same mistakes.  Lili, in turn, pointed out that he was the result of one of her so-called ‘bad life choices’ so it might be in his best interest to shut up.  Her overgrown child only laughed as he closed the door behind him. 

“You have quite a son, there,” Michael laughed, amused at the exchange between mother and offspring. 

“Well . . . he _is_ one of my more upstanding children,” the demoness conceded, thinking of her many thousands of unruly children.  Taking her by the hand, Michael led her to the couch so he could explain.

“I haven’t fallen, Lili.  I’m the same Archangel that I always was.”

“That’s not possible.  When Lucifer rebelled . . .”

“Lucifer attempted to overthrow Father with a violent revolution,” he explained.

“Well, you can’t say that Amenadiel . . .”

“Amenadiel . . .” he began, cutting her off and thinking of his self-righteous older brother.  “Amenadiel needed to learn to humble himself and see just how dark a path pride can lead you on.  After that, he had to learn to forgive himself.”

“But when I fell . . .”

“You vowed death to the descendants of Adam if Velius were taken from you and in your heart, you wanted to follow my brother and join _him_ rather than return to your husband or give up your offspring.  Each was an act of selfishness without any thought as to what it would do to anyone else, not the heavenly family, not humanity, not even the ultimate well-being of your child.”

“I had only just given birth to him, but Velius was my world.” The demoness responded recalling that day.

“I know,” Michael smiled.  “And despite what my idiot older brother might believe, your son was the first Nephilim and you did a good job raising him.  I’m glad we finally met.”    

“I am too,” Lili answered, smiling back.  “Out of curiosity, just how did you manage to run into him?”

“After I found you at the mausoleum, I simply called him using your phone,” he explained.  At the word ‘mausoleum’ the demoness froze.  She had enough recollection of the previous nights ‘celebration’ to be concerned.  She didn’t like anyone to see her during those weak painful moments, definitely not _him_.

“H-how long were you there?”

“Long enough,” he answered.  Lilith couldn’t breathe.  “Knowing that you were upset over your daughter and knowing your habit of hiding away to drink during moments of emotional stress, I decided to search all the dark corners of LA.  I started at the beach, but when I didn’t find you, I decided to try your lover’s grave.  After you had accidentally knocked yourself out, I brought you here.  Velius helped me find your hotel and get all of your stuff.  I’m afraid your dress was soaked so I took it off of you and hung it to dry in the bathroom.”

“You heard what I said,” Lilith said, softly as Michael nodded in response.  “You saw . . .”

“I saw your scar.  I saw _all_ of your scars last night, even the invisible ones.” Michael could see tears beginning to form in her eyes and he instantly pulled her to him, holding her close against his body.  “Never choose death over life.”

“That’s easy for you to say.  You’re not the eternal outcast, alone and hated by everyone . . . especially your own children.”

“You’re not alone,” he argued, but Lilith could only shake her head vehemently.

“Has anyone ever really wanted me?  No.  My existence has been nothing more than a game of make-believe using men as living dolls.” She looked at the angel and could see that he didn’t believe her so she offered a better example.  “Do you really think Lucifer has ever truly wanted me?  No.  He just wanted someone that he could whine and cry to in times of darkness or give his body pleasure when he needed a distraction.  Back when my heart was dead and I had no emotion, I didn’t care because I enjoyed our sexual games and as his close friend and confidant I was the second most powerful being in all of Hell.  Now . . . all of the illusions are shattered and I can see just how cursed and empty I really am.”  Michael pulled her from his embrace and forced her to look at him.

“You are not cursed and even if you were, then you should remember that in every fairytale there is always a way to lift it.  What you’re going through now is the lifting of the darkness . . . a change . . . rebirth.  It’s not pretty or easy, but the best things are never achieved without a struggle.  Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone.  You have me and Velius standing and fighting right alongside you. You were always a fighter Lilith.  My Father created you that way.” Michael smiled brightly knowing he was right.  He had seen her kick ass and take names many times and was confident she could overcome her inner demons too.  “Right now the powerful Queen of the Lilim is who your daughter needs to come and find her.”

“I don’t know if I can be that.”

“You can take my strength if you need it.” Those last words sounded like an echo in Lili’s ears that reached all the way into her memory.  She had heard them before, the night she gave birth to Inara.  The demoness looked up at the angel as the realization went through her.  It had not been Lucifer reaching out to her that night, but Michael Demiurgos.

“I-it was you . . . you said that . . .” At her words, he gently nodded.

“The night Inara was born . . . yes,” Michael smiled, gently brushing a stray hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear.  “I didn’t want you to give up when there was some much left for you to do.”  Overcome by her emotion, Lilith threw her arms around the angel and held him for dear life.

“I wish Inara was yours,” she said, her words half garbled from having her face pressed against him.

“I do too, but it doesn’t really matter.  She was created just as my Father wanted and for his purpose . . . whatever that may be and I love her because she is my niece and because she is a part of you.”     

Holding him Lilith didn’t know what to say.  He had always been nice to her no matter how she behaved or what she did and she could never understand it, nor did she feel like she deserved it.  Each time he was tasked with returning her to Hell, he was never anything but kind, no matter how sharp or acidic her tongue was to him.  Whenever she was around him she felt vulnerable, but somehow Michael made it seem okay, like it was more of a strength rather than a weakness.  Looking into his gentle face she smiled and ran her fingers through the curls of his hair then down through the soft hair of his beard.  She couldn’t imagine there being a more beautiful person or soul in all existence.  She wanted to kiss him, but there was one thing that was stopping her, those damned fake glasses. 

“I thought you promised you would never wear those again,” she asked pointing to the spectacles resting on his face.

“Yes I did, but I’m not the only one who made a promise.  You once said that you would consider a relationship when someone was finally willing to drop everything and come running after you.”

“I did say that, didn’t I?” Lili gently reached up and carefully slipped the dark-rimmed spectacles from his face and laid them on the coffee table.  “. . . W-would you like to join me for breakfast?” she asked, gesturing towards the bedroom where the crepes and coffee were waiting.

“Yes, I would.”

As the two walked hand in hand towards the bedroom, it was hard to imagine that anything could dampen Lilith’s first moment of hope in days, yet distant clouds were beginning to form.  She was not the only one they were encircling, nor was she the only one oblivious to it.  Dr. Linda Martin only saw blue sky as she glanced out the window in-between fussing with the perfect placement of a balloon bouquet and table centerpiece.  Charlie had wanted a football-themed birthday and she had dutifully made sure that every detail reflected it.  Even the two-tiered cake was decorated to show a football field on the bottom and 3-dimensional football on top.  The flavors she had chosen were vanilla bean sponge cake with chocolate-chip cookie dough buttercream filling, her son’s favorites.  She smiled at Charlie as he sat in front of the television playing the latest Xbox racing game alongside his dad, Amenadiel, and beating him soundly too.

Satisfied with the decorations, Linda went into the kitchen to check on the two large pans of lasagna baking in her oven and pull them out so they could cool before serving them.  She had barely left the room when Mazikeen came walking through the door, her dirty backpack slung over her shoulder.  She sniffed at the football decorations, completely unimpressed.  She couldn’t understand the human preoccupation with celebrating birthdays.  The demoness couldn’t begin to calculate her age and couldn’t understand why it was a big deal.  

Seeing the big bowl of punch sitting on the table next to the cake, she walked over and picked up a glass and dipped it right in the pink beverage, filling it up.  Taking a big gulp, she immediately cringed and poured what remained back into the bowl.  It was awful, not a drop of alcohol in it, just raspberry sherbert and ginger ale.  What kind of party was this?  Maze was about to fix the problem with a quick trip to Linda’s liquor cabinet when the sound of Charlie joyfully calling out her name caught her attention.  Instantly the demoness whirled around just in time to have the birthday boy throw his arms around her.  Normally hugs were forbidden, but the demoness made an exception when it came to her honorary ‘nephew’. 

“Here,” she said, handing him the grimy backpack.  Charlie dropped to the floor and started to unzip the knapsack as Linda came back into the room and Amenadiel came over and watched with a proud smile on his face.  The beaming parental grins were quickly replaced as the boy pulled out the concealable alcohol fanny pack flask.  Neither was pleased, but at least they could simply let him put water, juice or soda pop in it.  Charlie reached inside the pack again and, after tossing out newspaper filler, brought out the tantalizing sex toy with its images on the box showing its silicone molded lady parts. 

“MAZE!” shouted both Linda and Amenadiel in unison.  The child’s eyes grew wide for a few seconds before his mother managed to cover them, while his father snatched the toy and shoved it back into the backpack.

“That is NOT an appropriate gift for a nine-year-old boy . . . that’s not an appropriate gift for an eighteen-year-old boy,” Linda snapped.  Maze rolled her eyes and started to walk down the hall to her bedroom muttering about how parents were the bane of society while Linda and Amenadiel followed fast on her heels.  Both were talking at the same time about boundaries, house rules and what she could and could not do with Charlie. 

The door barely closed behind them and Lucifer came staggering through the front door, leaving it wide open.  He was still dressed in the same suit he had worn the night before with his white shirt untucked and cuffs loose and unfastened.  Even his hair was disheveled.  He was immediately greeted by his nephew who stared at him with uncertainty.  The boy had never seen his uncle like this before.  Lucifer was well known for his impeccable style.  Always a crisp tailored suit with matching pocket square and cufflinks, his hair straightened, styled and combed back and his accessories and the gentle scent of after-shave.   Today, the devil smelled as though he had bathed in bourbon . . . if he had bathed at all. 

“Charlie!!” Lucifer greeted his nephew in a loud jolly voice before handing him the entire roll of cash he carried in his pocket.  “Happy Birthday.  Go and get yourself something nice.”

“Whoa!” responded the birthday boy as his eyes grew wide in excitement at the wad of hundred dollar bills in his hand.  Not wanting his parents to snatch that away, he immediately ran off to his bedroom to hide it. 

The devil walked over to the table and eyeing the punch, got himself a glass full and took a drink.  With one taste he grimaced and immediately poured it back into the bowl.  Seeing Linda’s liquor cabinet he went over and looked at the selection.  There really wasn’t much and what she did have was hardly the expensive stuff.  Lucifer finally settled on an unopened bottle of rum and started pouring it into the punch while also taking a few drinks for himself.  He stirred it up and after refilling his cup, he found the results to at least be tolerable.

He then turned his attention to the food laying out on the table.  There was a vegetable tray with lots of colorful produce laid out to look pretty along with a bowl of spinach dip.  Next to it was a meat and cheese tray that had Ritz crackers carefully fanned out for presentation.  Lucifer snatched up some of the crackers along with some pepperoni and cheese slices and built a small edible tower that he devoured in two bites.  He followed this up by grabbing a celery stick and loading it with as much dip as possible before eating it. 

What really got his attention was the birthday cake.  Without even a second’s hesitation, the devil picked up the knife and whacked off one end of the football-shaped confection.  He had no idea what bakery the good doctor had hired to bake and decorate the cake, but he approved highly of her choice.  He would have to ask her the name of the company so he could order a cake for himself some time. . . or even today.  After-all, sitting in his penthouse drinking and eating cake seemed like an excellent way to pass the time.  He swallowed the last of his piece of cake and even licked the remaining icing then picked up the knife again.  He was about to help himself to another slice of football when Linda came back into the room, grumbling about demons.  Seeing the devil about to whack off another piece, she shouted at him to stop.

“Lucifer!!  What are you doing?!”

“Doctor!” he greeted, smiling ear to ear.  “I’m here for the party.  You know cake, ice cream . . . rum punch.”

“We don’t have rum pu . . .” the doctor stopped mid-word as her eyes fell upon the bottle of rum sitting on the table next to the punch bowl.  Picking it up, she immediately sighed, as she realized that the bottle was empty.  She approached Lucifer and could smell alcohol on him and _not_ the rum from her cabinet.  Seeing the condition of his clothes and his behavior, she quickly moved him away from the food and offered him a seat on the couch, while also taking the cake knife away from him.

“What is wrong with you?" The doctor asked, trying to hide her annoyance, but the fallen angel seemed oblivious to her feelings as well as her request for him to sit.  Instead, he paced and began straightening and moving her knick-knacks around the room to create a more aesthetic look. 

"Why should anything be wrong?" he answered, going to the punch bowl and helping himself to another glass of the rum-laced beverage.  “I’m a free man!  All my relationship troubles have solved themselves.”

“Wait . . . what?” Dr. Martin was aghast.  Despite his drunken bravado, he was clearly a man falling apart inside.  She could only assume the worst had happened.  “Did you and Chloe officially break up?”

“No . . . no . . . no, not exactly,” he began, rummaging through Linda’s liquor cabinet for more rum. 

“Lucifer!” Linda called out sharply before grabbing hold of his arm and pulling him away from the alcohol.  “What happened?”

“It seems that while the good detective loves me and wants me, she also would like me to completely separate myself from _Aḻakāṉa_ and my children because, of course, they are half Lilith.”

“She actually said that?”

“Maybe not in so many words, but . . .” Here he stopped a moment, his face clouded in disappointment.  “She made her feelings about them all quite clear.  Sooooo,” he sighed.  “I thought I would do what you once recommended and talk things out with Lilith.”

“Annnd?” Linda raised an eyebrow, in anticipation. 

“When I found out that she had tricked me and that Inara was mine, I told her, in the heat of anger, to leave and that we were through.  It seems she is holding to my word.”

“Wow,” She responded. 

“Oh, she did say that we could still be together where Inara was concerned, but there would never be an ‘us’.  _We_ . . . were through.” Lucifer took another drink of punch, his eyes staring absently down at the pink beverage.  “Countless ages . . . poof . . . all gone.”

There was no doubt in her mind that he needed an emergency session, but Charlie’s party was due to start as soon as the other guests arrived and hearing a sudden crash followed by a shout of pain from Amenadiel coming from Maze’s bedroom, meant it was going to have to be postponed until the party was over.  “We will sit down and talk about this after the party.  Right now I have to go check on something.  Stay right here,” she ordered, not wanting Lucifer to join in on the fray going on in the spare room.  “Don’t go anywhere, okay?  Oh, and don’t touch the cake or punch.”

Dr. Martin hurried down the hall to see what was happening, leaving Lucifer alone.  He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out his flask and took a big drink from it.  Despite Linda’s explicit instructions, he was contemplating leaving and drowning his sorrows in drugs, loud music, and sexual encounters.  The only thing that was stopping him was his promise to Charlie that he would be at the party.  As he took another long drink from his flask, he heard the sound of soft knocking behind him.  He turned around and saw Chloe standing in the doorway.

The detective looked beautiful.  She wasn’t all dressed up the way she had been the night before, but that never mattered to the devil.  To him, she looked perfect in just a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt and any one of her many jackets.  Her long blond hair was loose and draped over one shoulder and just seeing her standing there, made the devil feel a bit embarrassed at his own disheveled appearance.  He also couldn’t help feeling a touch of humiliation knowing that the detective had witnessed everything that had happened between himself and the demoness the night before. 

“Lucifer . . .” Chloe began, trying to find the right words.

“Detective,” he answered, looking around awkwardly.  “Glad you could come to the party, I’ll . . . I’ll let Linda know you’re here.”

“No, wait!” The detective rushed over and caught his hand, stopping him from leaving the room.  “We need to talk . . . no, we don’t need to talk, _I_ need to say something to you . . . I need to say a _lot_ of things to you.”

“Detective, you don’t . . .”

“Yes I do,” she interrupted.  “I should have done this a long time ago.”  Chloe looked up at Lucifer, her hands momentarily fidgeting from nerves.  “The truth is . . . I never chose you,” Hearing this statement, the devil stared at her confused.  “You were the one who chose me.  When the rest of the precinct wanted nothing to do with me, _you_ were the one who stepped forward and wanted to be my partner.  You could have easily gone back to your life at Lux but you didn’t, you wanted to be with me and work with me.  When you did that, it was the best thing that ever happened to me because you made me a better detective.  All of your fooling around at crime scenes, jokes and unpredictable behavior helped me open my eyes and made me see clues and details that I never would have noticed without you.”

“Detective . . .”

“ _No, I need to finish this_.  You have complimented me in so many ways and called me selfless, but you’re the one who is selfless.  You have repeatedly saved my life and at times you’ve even risked your own life to do it.  I mean, Malcolm Graham, Jimmy Barnes, taking a knife in the shoulder, stopping the ‘Heartbreak’ killer before he could strike Pierce and I.  There was even the ax you jumped in front of and . . . and God knows how many I don’t even know about.”

“I did it because . . .”

“I know _why_ you did it . . . you love me.  You’ve always loved me, even when I’m not worthy of it.  You were once afraid to show me your devil face because you were sure it would scare me and I’d run away.  Well, I realized recently that we all have our own devil faces and mine came out last night.  I may not have physically changed, but the worst of me came out.  I can be spoiled, selfish and short-sighted.  I get an image of how things should be in my head and I forget that life doesn’t always work that way and I am just as flawed as anyone else . . . maybe more so, I don’t know.  I said a lot of things last night that were wrong and I wish I could erase it, but I can’t.  I was jealous of the closeness and long history that you and Lilith have always had and I was wrong to act the way I did.  I had _no_ right to ask you to walk away from Lilith and if you thought I wanted you to separate yourself from your children, I’m sorry.  I would _never_ ask you to do that.  I don’t want you to do that.  I was just so scared that you would walk out of my life . . .” Chloe could feel tears beginning to well up as her raw emotions began to get the better of her.  Lucifer could see them shining in her soft blue/green eyes and knew that she meant every word.  There was no doubt in his mind that she was speaking in love and after a moment he realized there were tears forming in his eyes too.

“Chloe, you are as far from being the devil as anyone could be,”  Lucifer responded as he pulled her to him.  The pair stood there in silence holding on to each other for dear life.  The devil couldn’t speak.  He rarely heard anyone speak so highly of him so he didn’t know what to do or how to react.    

“I can’t promise you that I won’t screw up again and say something stupid that will hurt you, but I want the chance to try.  I just can’t imagine my life without you,” the detective continued, her tears beginning to dampen his shirt.

“You don’t have to.  I’m not going anywhere,” he promised.  Chloe looked up at him, her heart felt ready to burst with relief and joy.  She hadn’t lost him, and he wasn’t leaving her.  Her tears of sadness quickly changed to happiness as the devil reached over and carefully wiped them from her eyes.  Not wanting to waste the moment, Lucifer bent his head as Chloe raised hers to meet his lips.  It seemed like an eternity since they had kissed or held each other.  Everything was forgotten as their kisses grew deeper and more passionate.  All the past fighting, jealousies and hurt feelings no longer mattered, only that they had each other.

Lost in the moment, the detective and devil had forgotten about Charlie’s birthday or even that they were at Linda’s house.  Unfortunately, reality has a way of crashing in at the worst times and the pair’s sugared thoughts and desires were interrupted by the sound of Maze snarling and shouting about how unreasonable Amenadiel and Linda were.  This was followed by accusations about how no one appreciates her or the things she does for them and how no one cares about her except when they have nothing else going on.  She then proceeded to scream that she hated this place as well as the doctor and the first of God’s angels. She finally ended her tirade by announcing that Charlie would be better off being raised by her and that she would make Linda and Amenadiel pay for their mistreatment of her.  After that, the door to her bedroom swung open and the demoness came stomping out.

Seeing Mazikeen, Lucifer’s eyes turned a fiery red and he emitted a low animalistic growl.  He was not about to hold anything back.  Maze was too caught up in her anger with Dr. Martin and Amenadiel that she didn’t notice the devil until it was too late.  As soon as she was within arm’s reach of the fallen angel, he stretched out his hands and caught hold of her half-rusty mesh top and the waistband of her leather pants.  It only took half a second and Mazikeen found herself airborne and crashing through Linda Martin’s solid oak front door, ripping it from its hinges and smashing it to pieces on the concrete walkway as she landed.  In the process, the door frame had been cracked and torn away in places damaging the drywall and even the framing.

All the commotion and noise quickly brought Linda, Amenadiel, and Charlie running into the living room.  Maze lay there on the mass of broken wood and stone walkway a moment trying to catch her breath.  Her entire body was hurting and she was positive a couple of ribs were broken.  She was bleeding from her head and she felt dizzy for a few moments.  She couldn’t imagine why Lucifer had done that.  There had been no recent arguments between them or betrayals.  Sure, they had fought in the past many times, but even when she had betrayed him, he had blown it off and forgiven her for it.  The one time they had come to blows, he had not used his full power.   As she started to sit up, Lucifer came rushing out the front door and once more grabbed her by her metal top, his burned, scarred, red devil face inches from hers.

“ _Where is my daughter_?!”             


End file.
